Effects of montelukast compared to double dose budesonide on airway inflammation and asthma control

Many patients with asthma remain symptomatic with impaired airway function on inhaled steroids. This study investigates the relationship between the clinical effect seen in response to additional treatment and the effect on airway inflammatory indices. Seventy-five adult asthmatic patients, incompletely controlled on 800 mcg budesonide/ day, were randomised following a 4 week run-in period, to a double-blind, multi-centre controlled clinical trial of doubling inhaled corticosteroid (budesonide 1600 mcg/day) or adding 10 mg montelukast for 12 weeks. Induced sputum was collected at baseline and end of treatment and analysed for eosinophil and neutrophil percentages, leukotrienes C-4, D-4 and E-4, IL-8, Eosinophit Cationic Protein (ECP) and histamine. Sputum evidence of inflammation (>= 2.0% eosinophils) was seen in only 29% of these patients and the percentage of eosinophils and other markers of airway inflammation did