A smaller recent study from Spain showing a genetic component of ...

A smaller recent study from Spain showing a genetic component of montelukast efficacy. 1: Respir Med. 2008 Jun;102(6):857-61. Epub 2008 Mar 12. Links ALOX5 promoter genotype and response to montelukast in moderate persistent asthma.Telleria JJ, Blanco-Quiros A, Varillas D, Armentia A, Fernandez-Carvajal I, Jesus Alonso M, Diez I. Institute of Biology and Molecular Genetics (IBGM/CSIC), University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain; Department of Pediatrics, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain. BACKGROUND: It was hypothesized that asthmatic patients with mutant alleles in the leukotriene pathway should not respond to leukotriene receptor antagonists and the concept of a tailored treatment is increasingly supported. METHODS: Sixty-one patients (mean age 24.9 years, range 14-52) with moderate persistent asthma were clinical and immunological assess prior and after a 6-month treatment with montelukast. Tandem repeat polymorphisms were genotyped in the promoter (-147 to -176) of 5-lipoxygenase gene (ALOX5). RESULTS: Thirty-two patients (52.5%) were homozygous for the five repeats allele; 17 (27.9%) were heterozygous (4/5 repeats) and 12 (19.7%) were homozygous for 4/4 repeats. After the montelukast treatment decrease number of asthma exacerbations, improvement of FEV(1) and decreased use of beta(2) agonists was observed in patients with 5/5 or 4/5 repeats. Conversely, the patients with 4/4 repeats genotype did not modify these data after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: It was confirmed that ALOX5 promoter polymorphisms have a clear influence in montelukast response in atopic moderate persistent asthma patients. The genetic study could identify those patients most likely to respond to montelukast. PMID: 18339529 [PubMed - in process] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18339529