Current Infectious Disease Reports

, Volume 14, Issue 2, pp 147–154 | Cite as

Leukotriene Inhibitors in Sinusitis

Upper Respiratory, Head, and Neck Infections (I Brook, Section Editor)
First Online:

Abstract

It has been recognized for many years that leukotrienes play an important role in mediating various effects of the allergic reaction. Recent evidence has shown that they play a role in other diseases including chronic sinusitis, particularly those sub-types involving eosinophils. Leukotrienes can be separated into the fairly well characterized cysteinyl leukotrienes and less well characterized leukotriene B4. Effects of the leukotrienes are mediated through receptors that are expressed on a variety of cell types and can be modulated based on the inflammatory environment present. The pharmaceutical industry has long been interested in blocking leukotriene action and as such, two approaches have been developed that led to drugs approved for treatment of allergic disease. The most widely used class is the cysteinyl type 1 receptor antagonists, which block binding of the cysteinyl leukotrienes to the cell. The second class is an inhibitor of the 5-lipoxygenase enzyme that prevents synthesis of both the cysteinyl leukotrienes and leukotriene B4. This review will focus on the role that leukotrienes play in chronic sinusitis and consider the rationale for choosing either a leukotriene antagonist or synthesis inhibitor as a treatment option. We will also discuss off-label uses for other medications that might be useful in these diseases as they relate to their ability to modulate leukotriene action.

Keywords

Sinusitis Leukotriene Inhibitor Arachidonic acid Receptor 
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Notes

Disclosure

No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

References

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Asthma and Allergic Diseases CenterUniversity of Virginia Health SystemCharlottesvilleUSA
  2. 2.Carter Center for Immunology ResearchUniversity of Virginia Health SystemCharlottesvilleUSA

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