Aspirin-induced asthma and cyclooxygenases

The importance of COX-2 inhibition for aspirin induced asthma

“…There have been recent reviews of aspirin induced asthma (AIA),1 2 the use of the COX-2 preferential inhibitor nimesulide in asthmatic patients intolerant to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs),3 and of nimesulide in general 45 This paper discusses the importance of inhibiting prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) synthesis in AIA, and the relative safety of NSAIDs that preferentially inhibit COX-2.…”

“…Aspirin and other NSAIDs cause bronchoconstriction in about 10% of asthmatic subjects but NSAIDs relieve asthma in about 0.3% 2. This variability helps to show the complexity of the problem.…”

“…This variability helps to show the complexity of the problem. Prostaglandins in human lung are formed by various tissues and cells, including bronchial muscle, epithelium, and inflammatory cells,1 2 so the inhibition of prostaglandin formation can have numerous effects. In addition, the prostanoids (prostaglandins and thromboxanes) formed have different, and sometimes opposite, effects on the lungs.…”

Antenatal and Postnatal Analgesia

“…NSAIDs may adversely affect renal function, platelet function, and can exacerbate asthma (in approximately 10% of patients with asthma). In addition, they may cause gastric irritation/ulcers .…”

Synthesis and Stability Study on an Aspirin Derivative With Potential Selective Cox-2 Inhibitor

“…Recent studies have shown that small tumors of the sympathetic nervous system (neuroblastoma) "have abnormal levels of COX-2 expressed. These studies report that an overexpression of the COX-2 enzyme has an adverse effect on the tumor suppressor (11) . On the other hand, recent reviews of aspirin induced asthma (AIA) (12,13) , the use of the COX-2 preferential inhibitor nimesulide in asthmatic patients intolerant to NSAIDS (14,15) .…”