The role of aspirin desensitization in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) / O papel da dessensibilização à aspirina em pacientes portadores de doença respiratória exacerbada por aspirina (DREA)

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) consists of a classic tetrad: moderate/severe asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyps, and intolerance to aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Clinical control with drugs, surgery, and desensitization are treatment options. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of aspirin desensitization in patients with AERD. METHODS: Periodic symptom assessment and endoscopy in patients with AERD undergoing surgery who were desensitized. RESULTS: Seventeen patients were desensitized. Eight patients completed the desensitization and were followed for a minimum of a one-year period (mean 3.1 years). These patients showed improvement in all symptoms. Moreover, surgical reassessment was not indicated in any of these patients and there was a decrease in costs with medication and procedures. Eight patients did not complete desensitization, mainly due to procedure intolerance and uncontrolled asthma, whereas another patient was lost to follow-up. CONCLUSION: Aspirin desensitization, when tolerated, was effective in patients with AERD and with poor clinical/surgical response.

Resumo Introdução: A doença respiratória exacerbada por aspirina é composta pela tétrade clássica: asma moderada/grave, rinossinusite crônica, pólipos nasais e intolerância à aspirina ou outro anti-inflamatório não esteroide. Controle clínico com medicamentos, cirurgias e dessensibilização são opções de tratamento. Objetivo: Avaliar a eficácia e tolerabilidade da dessensibilização à aspirina em pacientes com doença exacerbada por aspirina. Método: Avaliação periódica dos sintomas e exame endoscópico em pacientes com doença respiratória exacerbada por aspirina submetidos à cirurgia e dessensibilizados. Resultados: Dezessete pacientes foram dessensibilizados, dos quais oito pacientes completaram a dessensibilização e foram acompanhados pelo tempo mínimo de 1 ano (média de 3,1 anos). Todos referiram melhora de todos os sintomas; não houve nenhuma indicação de reabordagem cirúrgica, e houve redução de gastos com medicações e procedimentos. Outros oito pacientes não completaram a dessensibilização, principalmente por intolerância ao procedimento e descontrole da asma, enquanto outro paciente perdeu o seguimento. Conclusão: A dessensibilização à aspirina, quando tolerada, mostrou-se eficaz nos pacientes com doença respiratória exacerbada por aspirina com resposta clínica/cirúrgica insatisfatória.

Asma inducida por aspirina y metabolitos del ácido araquidónico: II. La participación de los leucotrienos (cuarta parte) / Aspirin induced asthma and arachidonic acid metabolites: II

No obstante que se desconoce el mecanismo del asma inducida por aspirina, se ha propuesto que las reacciones bronquiales y nasales son causadas por un incremento en la producción de los productos de la lipoxigenasa. Se midieron las concentraciones de LTE4, TXB2 y 11-dehidro TXB2 urinarios de pacientes con asma inducida por aspirina y normales mediante métodos de HPLC y radioinmunoensayos durante las pruebas de provocación con aspirina y después de la desensibilización. La demostración de una sobreproducción de LTE4 urinario durante la prueba de exposición con aspirina y el descenso después de la desensibilización de manera inversamente proporcional con el TXB2, sugiere un "shunting" de los metabolitos del ácido araquidónico en las células blanco. Independientemente, se pone en evidencia el efecto clínico benéfico de la desensibilización por aspirina

Oral provocation tests with aspirin and food additives in asthmatic patients

Aspirin and food additives are known to induce bronchoconstriction, angioedema or urticaria in susceptible patients. To evaluate the incidence of hypersensitivity to aspirin and food additives, 36 subjects with bronchial asthma, 33 of whom were non-allergic asthmatics and 3 were allergic asthmatics who had a history of aspirin sensitivity, were challenged orally with six compounds: acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), sodium bisulfite, tartrazine, sodium benzoate, 4-hydroxy benzoic acid, and monosodium L-glutamate. Significant bronchoconstrictions were found in 15 (41.7%) of the 36 subjects tested. Eight of the 15 subjects showed positive asthmatic responses to the aspirin, two showed asthmatic responses to the food additives, and five responded to both aspirin and the food additives. It is suggested that ASA and food additives could be causes of clinically significant bronchoconstriction in moderately severe non-allergic asthmatic patients.

Oral provocation tests with aspirin and food additives in asthmatic patients

Aspirin and food additives are known to induce bronchoconstriction, angioedema or urticaria in susceptible patients. To evaluate the incidence of hypersensitivity to aspirin and food additives, 36 subjects with bronchial asthma, 33 of whom were non-allergic asthmatics and 3 were allergic asthmatics who had a history of aspirin sensitivity, were challenged orally with six compounds: acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), sodium bisulfite, tartrazine, sodium benzoate, 4-hydroxy benzoic acid, and monosodium L-glutamate. Significant bronchoconstrictions were found in 15 (41.7%) of the 36 subjects tested. Eight of the 15 subjects showed positive asthmatic responses to the aspirin, two showed asthmatic responses to the food additives, and five responded to both aspirin and the food additives. It is suggested that ASA and food additives could be causes of clinically significant bronchoconstriction in moderately severe non-allergic asthmatic patients.