WILL THE ADVENT OF ANTILEUKOTRIENE THERAPY LEAD TO CHANGES IN ASTHMA-TREATMENT GUIDELINES

Leukotrienes are bronchoconstrictor and pro-inflammatory mediators imp licated in asthma. Drugs that block leukotriene synthesis or activity are set to become the first major breakthrough in asthma therapy for 2 5 years. Antileukotriene drugs block bronchoconstriction after challen ge with allergen, aspirin or exercise, and in clinical trials in patie nts with asthma they improve baseline lung function, reduce night-time awakenings, improve daytime symptom scores and halve the number of ac ute exacerbations. They are likely to be used as oral prophylactic the rapy to reduce the dosage of corticosteroids right across the spectrum of asthma severity. Further studies on possible long term anti-inflam matory effects are currently in progress.