Time-effect of montelukast on protection against exercise-induced bronchoconstriction

Value of montelukast as a potential treatment of post-COVID-19 persistent cough: a non-randomized controlled pilot study

Background

This pilot study included 68 cases with post-COVID-19 persistent cough (> 8 weeks), randomly allocated into two groups; intervention group (32 patients) received standard cough therapy, and montelukast 10 mg/day for 14 days and control group (36 patients) received only cough sedatives.

Results

We found a significant improvement in the number of cough paroxysms/day, cough severity visual analog scale, cough severity index and cough quality of life, shorter duration improvement, and minimal side effects in the interventional group.

Conclusions

We suggest that montelukast may be effective to reduce the duration and severity of the persistent post-COVID-19 cough and further improve quality of life.

Asthma pharmacotherapy: an update on leukotriene treatments

Introduction: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways with a large heterogeneity of clinical phenotypes. There has been increasing interest regarding the role of cysteinyl leukotriene (LT) and leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA) in asthma treatment.Areas covered: This review summarized the data (published in PubMed during 1984-2019) regarding LTRA treatment in asthma and LTs-related airway inflammation mechanisms. Involvement of LTs C₄/D₄/E₄ has been demonstrated in the several aspects of airway inflammation and remodeling. Novel pathways related to LTE₄, the most potent mediator, and its respective receptors have recently been studied. Antagonists against cysteinyl leukotriene receptor (CysLTR) type 1, including montelukast, pranlukast and zafirlukast, have been widely prescribed in clinical practices; however, some clinical trials have shown insignificant responses to LTRAs in adult asthmatics, while some phenotypes of adult asthma showed more favorable responses to LTRAs including aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease, elderly asthma, asthma associated with smoking, obesity and allergic rhinitis.Expert opinion: Further investigations are needed to understand the role of LTs in airway inflammation and remodeling of the asthmatic airways. There is a lack of biomarkers to predict responsiveness to LTRA, especially in adult asthmatics. Besides CysLTR1 antagonists, targets aiming other LT pathways should be considered.

Prevalence of Montelukast Use as an Add-On Therapy among Iraqi Asthmatics on Treatment Attending Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital and Al-Zahraa Center of Asthma and Allergy

BACKGROUND:

Montelukast (Singulair) is a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist, used for the maintenance treatment of asthma and to relieve symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis and asthma, also used for exercise-induced bronchospasm.

AIM:

This study was performed to determine the prevalence of Montelukast use as an add-on therapy among Iraqi asthmatic patients on treatment. Comparing the effectiveness of regimens with and without montelukast.

METHODS:

This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 73 Iraqi asthmatic patients on treatment of both sexes with age range (18-60) years old, attending Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital and Al-Zahraa Centre of Asthma and Allergy, Baghdad, for the period between February and March 2017. A questionnaire was specifically prepared to meet the objectives and was used to collect the data of the study.

RESULTS:

There was a significant statistical reduction of frequency in asthmatic attacks after Montelukast treatment (p-value < 0.05). Out of 73 patients, 39 were males, and 34 were females, 46 were jobless, 37 were married, 63 were urban residents, 63 were educated. Prevalence of exacerbation factors was as following: infection was found in 60.3% of the patients, exercise in 57.5%, dust in 72.6%, smoking in 60.6%, food in 24.7%, others (stress, perfumes) in 20.5%. The prevalence of Montelukast use in this study was 46% (34 patients). Out of 34 patients using Montelukast, 28 were using inhaled salbutamol, 5 were using oral salbutamol, 15 were using inhaled corticosteroids, 9 were using systematic corticosteroids, 2 were using xanthines, and 6 were using ketotifen.

CONCLUSION:

Montelukast was used as add-on therapy with the inhaled corticosteroids to reduce the required dose of inhaled corticosteroids also the use of Montelukast lead to reduced number of exacerbations which will be reflected on the use of inhaled salbutamol and systematic corticosteroids. Also, Montelukast was superior to xanthines and ketotifen as an add-on therapy.

Asthma phenotypes: the intriguing selective intervention with Montelukast

Asthma is a heterogeneous disease, usually characterized by chronic airway inflammation and a variable course associated with various underlying mechanisms that can differ between individuals. Patients with asthma can therefore exhibit different phenotypes, a term used to define the observable characteristics of an organism resulting from the interaction between its genetic makeup and the environment. The heterogeneity of asthma has received a large amount of attention in the last few years in order to better tailor treatment according to the different clinical and biological phenotypes of the disease. Specific asthma phenotypes may require an approach to treatment sometimes different from that recommended by current guidelines, so a personalized approach to asthma pharmacotherapy is recommended. Growing evidence suggests that leukotrienes play an important role in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. The mechanisms of action of leukotriene-receptor antagonists theoretically predict a good response in some asthma “phenotypes”.In this article we have performed an analysis of the recent literature (controlled clinical trials and real-life studies) about a possible selective intervention with Montelukast in specific asthma phenotypes.

Can a single dose response predict the effect of montelukast on exercise-induced bronchoconstriction?

RATIONALE

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) can be prevented by a single dose of montelukast (MLK). The effect is variable, similar to the variable responsiveness observed after daily treatment with MLK. We hypothesized that the effect of a single MLK-dose (5 or 10 mg) on EIB could predict the clinical effectiveness of longer term once daily treatment.

METHODS

This was a prospective, open-label study. Twenty-four asthmatic adolescents (12-17 years) suboptimally controlled by low-dose inhaled corticosteroids, with ≥10% post-exercise fall in FEV1 , were included. They performed an exercise test at baseline, 20 hr after a single MLK-dose and 40-44 hr after the last dose of 4 weeks once daily treatment. The correlations between the effect of a single dose and 4 weeks treatment on area under the curve (AUC) and maximum % fall in FEV1 were calculated.

RESULTS

AUC0-20 min decreased significantly after a single MLK-dose (P = 0.001, CI: 64.9-218.2), but not after 4 weeks of treatment (P = 0.080, CI: -12.2 to 200.4). There was a moderate correlation between the effect of a single MLK-dose and 4 weeks treatment on AUC0-20 min , r = 0.49 (P = 0.011), and maximum % fall in FEV1 , r = 0.40 (P = 0.035).

CONCLUSION

The protection provided by a single MLK-dose against EIB only modestly predicts the effect of regular treatment against EIB in adolescent asthmatics on low-dose inhaled corticosteroids. If used on a daily base, MLK offered clinically significant protection against EIB in two thirds of adolescents suboptimally controlled by low-dose ICS.

Montelukast for postinfectious cough in adults: a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Postinfectious cough is common in primary care, but has no proven effective treatments. Cysteinyl leukotrienes are involved in the pathogenesis of postinfectious cough and whooping cough (pertussis). We investigated the effectiveness of montelukast, a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist, in the treatment of postinfectious cough.

METHODS

In this randomised, placebo-controlled trial, non-smoking adults aged 16-49 years with postinfectious cough of 2-8 weeks' duration were recruited from 25 general practices in England. Patients were tested for pertussis (oral fluid anti-pertussis toxin IgG) and randomly assigned (1:1) to montelukast 10 mg daily or image-matched placebo for 2 weeks. Patients chose whether to continue study drug for another 2 weeks. The randomisation sequence was computer-generated and stratified by general practice. Patients, health-care professionals, and researchers were masked to treatment allocation. Effectiveness was assessed with the Leicester Cough Questionnaire to measure changes in cough-specific quality of life; the primary outcomes were changes in total score between baseline and two follow-up stages (2 weeks and 4 weeks). The primary analysis was by intention to treat with imputation by last observation carried forward. Recruitment closed on Sept 21, 2012, and follow-up has been completed. This trial is registered with EudraCT (2010-019647-19), UKCRN Portfolio (ID 8360), and ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01279668).

FINDINGS

From April 13, 2011, to Sept 21, 2012, we randomly assigned 276 patients to montelukast (n=137) or placebo (n=139). 70 (25%) patients had laboratory-confirmed pertussis. Improvements in cough-specific quality of life occurred in both groups after 2 weeks (montelukast: mean 2·7, 95% CI 2·2-3·3; placebo: 3·6, 2·9-4·3), but the difference between groups did not meet the minimum clinically important difference of 1·3 (mean difference -0·9, -1·7 to -0·04, p=0·04). This difference was not statistically significant in any sensitivity analyses. After 2 weeks, 192 of 259 participants from whom data were available elected to continue study drug (99 [77%] of 129 participants on montelukast; 93 [72%] of 130 on placebo). After 4 weeks, there were no significant between-group differences in cough-specific quality of life improvement (montelukast: 5·2, 4·5-5·9; placebo: 5·9, 5·1-6·7; mean difference -0·5, -1·5 to 0·6, p=0·38) or adverse event rates (21 (15%) of 137 patients on montelukast reported one or more adverse events; 31 (22%) of 139 on placebo; p=0·14). The most common adverse events reported were increased mucus production (montelukast, n=6; placebo, n=2), gastrointestinal disturbance (montelukast, n=3; placebo, n=5), and headache (montelukast, n=2; placebo, n=6). One serious adverse event was reported (placebo, n=1), which was unrelated to study drug (shortness of breath and throat tightness after severe coughing bouts).

INTERPRETATION

Montelukast is not an effective treatment for postinfectious cough. However, the burden of postinfectious cough in primary care is high, making it an ideal setting for future antitussive treatment trials.

FUNDING

National Institute for Health Research School for Primary Care Research, UK.

Beta₂-agonists for exercise-induced asthma

BACKGROUND

It is well known that physical exercise can trigger asthma symptoms and can induce bronchial obstruction in people without clinical asthma. International guidelines on asthma management recommend the use of beta2-agonists at any stage of the disease. At present, however, no consensus has been reached about the efficacy and safety of beta2-agonists in the pretreatment of exercise-induced asthma and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. For the purpose of the present review, both of these conditions are referred to by the acronymous EIA, independently from the presence of an underlying chronic clinical disease.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of inhaled short- and long-acting beta2-agonists, compared with placebo, in the pretreatment of children and adults with exercise-induced asthma (or exercise-induced bronchoconstriction).

SEARCH METHODS

Trials were identified by electronic searching of the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register of Trials and by handsearching of respiratory journals and meetings. Searches are current as of August 2013.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of any study design, published in full text, that assessed the effects of inhaled beta2-agonists on EIA in adults and children. We excluded studies that did not clearly state diagnostic criteria for EIA.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard methodological procedures as expected by The Cochrane Collaboration.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 53 trials consisting of 1139 participants. Forty-eight studies used a cross-over design, and five were performed in accordance with a parallel-group design. Forty-five studies addressed the effect of a single beta2-agonist administration, and eight focused on long-term treatment. We addressed these two different intervention regimens as different comparisons.Among primary outcomes for short-term administration, data on maximum fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) showed a significant protective effect for both short-acting beta-agonists (SABA) and long-acting beta-agonists (LABA) compared with placebo, with a mean difference of -17.67% (95% confidence interval (CI) -19.51% to -15.84%, P = 0.00001, 799 participants from 72 studies). The subgroup analysis of studies performed in adults compared with those performed in children showed high heterogeneity confined to children, despite the comparable mean bronchoprotective effect.Secondary outcomes on other pulmonary function parameters confirmed a more positive and protective effect of beta2-agonists on EIA compared with placebo. Occurrence of side effects was not significantly different between beta2-agonists and placebo.Overall evaluation of the included long-term studies suggests a beta2-agonist bronchoprotective effect for the first dose of treatment. However, long-term use of both SABA and LABA induced the onset of tolerance and decreased the duration of drug effect, even after a short treatment period.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Evidence of low to moderate quality shows that beta2-agonists, both SABA and LABA, when administered in a single dose, are effective and safe in preventing EIA.Long-term regular administration of inhaled beta2-agonists induces tolerance and lacks sufficient safety data. This finding appears to be of particular clinical relevance in view of the potential for prolonged regular use of beta2-agonists as monotherapy in the pretreatment of EIA, despite the warnings of drug agencies (FDA, EMA) regarding LABA.

Impact of montelukast on asthma associated with rhinitis, and other triggers and co-morbidities

INTRODUCTION

Rhinitis and other specific triggers or co-morbidities (tobacco exposure, excess weight, aspirin sensitivity or heredity factors) are frequently associated with uncontrolled asthma. Asthma associated with these exacerbating factors appears to be related to an increase in leukotriene-mediated inflammation.

METHODS

We reviewed the role of montelukast, a leukotriene receptor antagonist, in the treatment of asthma associated with these factors by using the PubMed database to search the English and French biomedical literature for articles describing randomized-controlled trials, large observational studies and reviews (published up to May 2012, inclusive).

RESULTS

Montelukast, either alone or in combination with other drugs, is an effective treatment against rhinitis-associated asthma. Montelukast also offers therapeutic benefits against exercise-induced asthma or in cases of asthma linked to tobacco exposure, excess weight or aspirin hypersensitivity. Thus, for some patients, montelukast may constitute an alternative to the gold-standard treatment of inhaled corticosteroids. Polymorphisms in several genes encoding proteins of the leukotriene signaling pathway may contribute to the variability in response to montelukast.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, we have shown that montelukast treatment could be of particular benefit to subgroups of patients with asthma associated with rhinitis, exercise, tobacco exposure, being overweight or aspirin hypersensitivity.