Anti-Rejection Drug Curbs Aspirin-Induced Asthma

The immune-suppressant drug tacrolimus, usually used to prevent rejection of transplanted organs, can also help people who suffer from aspirin-triggered asthma, Japanese researchers report. The finding "suggests a new therapeutic strategy for aspirin-induced asthma," investigator Dr. Hiroto Matsuse told Reuters Health. Matsuse, at Nagasaki University School of Medicine, and colleagues note in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology that it's unclear just why some people suffer an asthma attack if they take aspirin. However, it has been suggested that aspirin causes a "massive release" of substances called leukotrienes into the airways, triggering constriction. Tacrolimus inhibits the production of leukotrienes, the team says, and has other properties that might be helpful for these patients. To investigate, the researchers studied 12 aspirin-sensitive asthmatics who had undergone testing with aspirin to determine the individual dose that provoked an attack.