Abstract

SANCHEZ INFANTE, Concepción et al. Clinical and functional evaluation in asthmatic children treated with montelukast. Rev Cubana Pediatr [online]. 2011, vol.83, n.3, pp. 215-224. ISSN 0034-7531.

Introduction: bronchial asthma is a disease that may to be controlled, although is not curable, but its clinical manifestations affecting the patient may to disappear or to decrease until to achieve a normal or almost-normal life for patient and for its family with a series of drug and non-drug measures. Objective: to assess the effectiveness of montelukast in treatment pf children with persistent asthma. Methods: in 65 children presenting with persistent asthma seen in the "William Soler" University Children Hospital authors conducted a study. The symptoms, respiratory functional tests, days absent to school and disease control were initially assessed and one year after introduction of the montelukast. There was a possibility of secondary effects. Results: fifty five patients (84,6 %) had daily nocturnal cough before treatment. One year after above mentioned cough was observed only in 9 (13,9 %); 43 (66,1 %) had sibilismus when laugh; 41 (63,0 %) had initially affection of physical activity, whereas at one year 51 of them (78,4 %) hadn't any limitation. The 100 % had school absences. During the year of treatment 34 (57,0 %) not showed such absences; 42 (64,6 %) had daily crises, however, in re-evaluation, 38 (58,5 %) hadn't crises. Twenty three were admitted in the hospital (35,4 %) but later only 5 needed to be admitted. Before treatment, 49 (75,0 %) need rescue treatment, on the other hand, during that year decreased to 27 (41,0 %). A total of 19 children (38,0 %) initially had a forced expiratory volume (FEV1) less than 80 % and only 8 (16,0 %) had it later. Before treatment the 100 % of patients has non-controlled or partly controlled asthma, whereas after one year the 57 % had a controlled asthma. There were not adverse reactions. Conclusions: with the use of montelukast the nocturnal symptoms, the limitation of physical activities, the school absence days, the need of admission in hospital and the function respiratory improved in a significant way. There was a control of asthma in the 57 % of patients.

Keywords : montelukast; antileukotrienes; bronchial asthma control.

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