Montelukast in paediatric asthma: where we are now and what still needs to be done?

Leukotriene receptor antagonists were introduced as an entirely new concept in asthma therapy, which indeed they are. However, although an intellectually new concept, they have largely disappointed in clinical practice. A small minority of school age asthmatics may respond better to these medications as against inhaled corticosteroids as prophylactic therapy. In children not responding to low dose inhaled corticosteroids, the best add-on therapy is salmeterol, but a small number respond better to Montelukast. In pre-school wheeze, intermittent Montelukast may be an effective strategy in some children who wheeze just with viral colds, but the clinical trial data are controversial. Pre-schoolers with multiple trigger wheeze are probably best treated with inhaled corticosteroids. What is clear is that clinically, a higher proportion of children are prescribed Montelukast than would be predicted from the lterature to respond to the medication. No biomarker to predict response to Montelukast has reached clinical practice, so N of 1 clinical trials should be performed. It is important not to leave children on Montelukast if there is no convincing response to this treatment.