Antileukotrienes in rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis

Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2008 May;4(3):331-7. doi: 10.1586/1744666X.4.3.331.

Abstract

Nasal polyposis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the nasal and paranasal sinus mucosa that, despite different hypotheses of its cause, remains poorly understood. The management of nasal polyposis has been the topic of countless frequent controversial debates for many decades. International guidelines generally suggest that first-line treatment should be based on a medical approach with mainly nasal and oral corticosteroids. Surgical procedures are often viewed as adjunctive to medical therapy. Given that antileukotrienes are currently indicated in the treatment of asthma and allergic rhinitis and there exists an increased leukotriene production in nasal polyps, antileukotrienes, especially montelukast, may represent a potential effective therapy for chronic rhinosinusitis, including nasal polyps.