Effect of Different Anti-Asthmatic Treatments on Lung Function and on Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction in Children With Asthma

Asthma is one of the most common chronic disease worldwide, imposing a substantial social burden on children. Allergic inflammation is responsible for all clinical symptoms of asthma. The effects of allergic inflammation are: bronchial muscle constriction, excessive mucus production, and edema of mucosa, all elements of "asthmatic triad" causing bronchial obturation. Normal lung function is one of the goals of asthma management. In most of the studies the effect of monotherapy on the symptom scores, lung function parameters and bronchial hyperreactivity was assessed.

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of four week treatment with budesonide, montelukast, budesonide with montelukast and budesonide with formoterol in children with atopic asthma on lung function: forced expiratory volume in one second, mid-expiratory flow, peak expiratory flow rate, resistance by the interrupter technique, plethysmographic specific airway resistance, exercise-induced bronchial hyperreactivity and clinical symptoms.