Seasonality of sputum eosinophilia in adolescents with asthma remission: effects of montelukast

Abstract

Subjects in this yearlong study were in short-standing remission of asthma and the number of participants was small. However, the confirmation of clinical remission was a prospective further observation, during which 41 participants were completely free from symptoms of asthma. There was no wash-out period after 6 months' ML or Pl treatment, but patients were directly entered in alternative treatment. Our study did not include the examination of other parameters of inflammation, such as FeNO or peripheral blood eosinophilia.In summary, this yearlong study of eosinophilic inflammation indicates its incidental presence in the majority of young asthmatics with clinical remission of asthma and shows a clear relationship between inflammation and seasonality. It appears that in patients in asthma remission, montelukast mitigates eosinophilic inflammation and, especially, its seasonal fluctuations. It seems suitable to monitor occasionally inflammation markers or airway hyper-responsiveness during periods of high exposure to allergens in order to predict asthma recurrence. ACK N OWLED G M ENTSWe thank all the patients and their families for their participation and support during the study; Celina Kabaj for assistance with the sputum induction; Katarzyna Pituch for language consultation; andŁukasz Ciółkowski for technical assistance. declared no conflict of interest. O RCI D J. Ciółkowski