Effect of a cysteinyl leukotriene antagonist, pranlukast hydrate, on acetaldehyde-induced bronchoconstriction in asthmatic patients

Acetaldehyde is a main factor of alcohol-induced asthma. We previously repo rted that the cysteinyl leukotriene (cys-LT) receptor antagonist, pranlukas t hydrate, inhibits acetaldehyde-induced airway hyperresponsiveness in guin ea pigs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the involvement of cys-L T on bronchial responsiveness to acetaldehyde in asthmatic patients. We inv estigated the bronchial response to inhalation of acetaldehyde in 10 asthma tic patients, who were treated with placebo or pranlukast hydrate (225.5 mg ), a cys-LT receptor antagonist, twice a day for 1 wk using a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over design. Although a remarkable i mprovement of acetaldehyde bronchoconstriction was observed in 3 out of 10 subjects, PC20-AcCHO values were identical between placebo [12.0 (GSEM,1192 ) mg/ml] and pranlukast [14.7 (GSEM, 1.245) mg/ml] groups. The changes in b ronchial responsiveness to acetaldehyde were similar in the six patients wh o had never experienced alcohol-induced asthma and the four who had. In con clusion, cys-LTs are not involved in acetaldehyde-induced bronchoconstricti on. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.