PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Van Schoor, J.
AU  - Joos, G.F.
AU  - Pauwels, R.A.
TI  - Effect of inhaled fluticasone on bronchial responsiveness to neurokinin A in asthma
AID  - 10.1183/09031936.02.01112001
DP  - 2002 Jun 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 997--1002
VI  - 19
IP  - 6
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/19/6/997.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/19/6/997.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2002 Jun 01; 19
AB  - Neurokinin (NK) A causes airway narrowing in patients with asthma through direct and indirect mechanisms. The effects of the inhaled glucocorticosteroid fluticasone propionate (FP) on the bronchial responsiveness to NKA and methacholine were studied. Patients (n=11) with mild asthma participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. FP (500 µg b.i.d) or matched placebo was administered via DiskhalerTM for 14 days. Bronchial challenges were performed on days 1 and 13 (methacholine) and 0 and 14 (NKA) for each treatment period. At the active treatment period, the mean log2 provocative concentration causing a 20% fall in the forced expiratory volume in one second (PC20)±sem for NKA was −12.72±0.63 at the beginning and −9.77±0.49 at the end of the period (p<0.0001), while under placebo, it was −12.16±0.82 and −12.19±0.51 respectively (ns). At the active treatment period, the mean log2 PC20 for methacholine was −5.25±0.40 at the beginning and −4.22±0.31 at the end of the period (p=0.012), while under placebo, it was −5.47±0.47 and −5.24±0.42 respectively (ns). The reduction in response to NKA was significantly larger than that for methacholine. A 2-week course of an inhaled steroid reduces bronchial responsiveness to neurokinin A, an effect more pronounced than the reduction in bronchial responsiveness to methacholine. The present study was supported by GlaxoWellcome plc, UK.