[Effect of ketotifen on the eicosanoid system, immunoreactivity and bronchial patency in patients with obstructive pulmonary diseases]. / Vliianie ketotifena na sistemu éikozanoidov, immunologicheskuiu reaktivnost' i bronkhial'nuiu prokhodimost' u bol'nykh s obstruktivnymi zabolevaniiami legkikh.

A study was made of the effect of ketotifen on the concentration of leukotriene B4, prostacyclin and thromboxane A2 in the liquid of bronchoalveolar lavage and on external respiration and cellular immunity during 4 weeks of the treatment of patients with infection-dependent bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive bronchitis. Inclusion of ketotifen into the treatment of patients with bronchial obstruction exerts a stimulating action on the suppressor component of T-cell immunity, leads to a decrease of the content of leukotriene B4 and thromboxane A2 in the lavage liquid, which is accompanied by positive shifts in the clinical course of the broncho-obstructive syndrome. Ketotifen turned out most effective in patients with an initially low content of the subpopulation of T suppressors and with high concentrations of leukotriene B4 and thromboxane A2 in the liquid of bronchoalveolar lavage.

[The leukotriene B4 content of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and the function of the prostacyclin-thromboxane system in patients with variants of chronic bronchitis]. / Soderzhanie leikotriena B4 v zhidkosti bronkhoal'veoliarnogo lavazha i sostoianie prostatsiklintromboksanovoi sistemy u bol'nykh s razlichnymi variantami khronicheskogo bronkhita.

A study was made of the content of leukotriene B4, prostacycline and thromboxane A2 in the fluid of bronchoalveolar lavage in 62 patients with chronic bronchitis (CB) in the stage of exacerbation and remission. The time course of changes in the concentration of the eukosanoids was compared with the status of pulmonary local defense factors and cellular immunity. In catarrhal obstructive bronchitis, an important mechanism of a steady maintenance of bronchial obstruction involved a rise of the content of leukotriene B4 whereas in purulent obstructive bronchitis, it was an excess level of thromboxane A2. It is assumed that immunologically dependent activation of the leukotriene B4 and thromboxane synthetase capacity of alveolar macrophages may stipulate the clinical course of CB, modulating the bronchoconstrictor or inflammatory component of the disease. To correct phlogogenous function of alveolar macrophages, the use of immunomodulating therapy with a selective action on the suppressor component of immunity is desirable.