Addition of antileukotriene agents to inhaled corticosteroids in children with persistent asthma

Abstract

The addition of LTRAs to ICS is not associated with a statistically significant reduction in the need for rescue oral corticosteroids or hospital admission compared with the same or an increased dose of ICS in children and adolescents with mild to moderate asthma. Although LTRAs have been licensed for use in children for >10 years, the paucity of paediatric trials, the absence of data regarding preschool-age children and the variability in the reporting of relevant clinical outcomes considerably limit firm conclusions. At present, there is no firm evidence to support the efficacy and safety of LTRAs as add-on therapy to ICS as a step 3 option in the therapeutic arsenal for children with uncontrolled asthma symptoms on low-dose ICS. The full text of the Cochrane Review is available in The Cochrane Library (1).