Efficacy of anti-LT agents in the treatment of chronic asthma.

Anti-LT agents are the first new class of asthma medication to be approved in the last 20 yr. Current asthma treatment guidelines recommend antileukobriene agents as anti-inflammatory therapy for patients with mild, persistent asthma. The role that these drugs will play in clinical practice will become more apparent as additional experience is gained in their use. The results of clinical studies illustrate their potential: anti-LT agents reduce asthma symptoms, improve airway function, and decrease the need for concomitant beta 2-agonists and inhaled corticosteroids; the incidence of asthma exacerbations may also be reduced. Finally, because these agents are administered orally, they offer the potential for improved patient compliance relative to the more complicated forms of drug administration.