Table 1 Studies of preschool wheezing children treated with montelukast alone or with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)
From: Update on leukotriene receptor antagonists in preschool children wheezing disorders
| Â | Author | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â | Bisgaard[30] | Protection against cold air-induced reactivity | Â |
| Â | Hakim[22] | Reduced methacoline-induced reactivity | Â |
Wheezing (short-term | Straub[31] | Reduced airway resistance and exhaled nitric oxide | Â |
montelukast monotherapy) | Straub[32] | Improved lung function and symptom score | Â |
|  | Robertson[33] | Reduced healthcare resource use, symptoms, time-off school/parent work | No effect on hospitalization rate, symptoms duration, β2 or steroids use |
| Â | Szefler[38] | No difference versus budesonide for | Higher rates of exacerbations |
|  |  | - time to 1st additional asthma drug at 12 weeks |  |
| Â | Â | - time to 1st attack requiring oral steroid | Â |
Wheezing (long-term | Kooi[39] | Montelukast versus fluticasone or placebo | Â |
montelukast | Â | In all groups | In all groups: no differences |
monotherapy) | Â | - Improved symptoms score | in lung function |
| Â | Â | - Reduced blood eosinophils | Â |
| Â | Allen-Ramey[41] | Emergency visits fewer versus fluticasone | No differences in hospitalizations or rescue drugs |
| Â | Davies[35] | Similar rates of healthcare resource of cromolyn or ICS | Â |
| Â | Bisgaard[36] | Lower | Â |
| Â | Â | - rate of asthma exacerbations | Â |
| Â | Â | - median time to first exacerbation | Â |
| Â | Â | - rate of ICS courses | Â |
| Â | Bacharier[40] | Â | No difference in symptom free-days, oral steroid, healthcare resource use |
Wheezing | Johnston | Reduced risk of : | Â |
(montelukast + ICS) | [44] | - worsened asthma symptoms | Â |
| Â | Â | - unscheduled physician visits | Â |