and Singulair

[Guest guest]

Thank you to everyone who responded to the survey regarding the use

of Singulair by children with . Nine parents filled out the

survey, and 3 additional parents responded by e-mail with partial

information. The results were as follows:

1. None of the children had any side effects from the singulair.

2. Three of the children had no benefit at all from the singulair.

3. The other 9 had varying degrees of improvement. Most of them had

fever episodes significantly less often; the average was 16 days

between fevers before starting singulair, and greater than 45 days

while on singulair (two of the children had gone 39 and 56 days

without a fever since starting singulair and had not had another

fever yet, at the time the parents filled out the survey, so the

actual average time between fevers could not be calculated). There

was a wide range of fever-free intervals on singulair, the longest

being 120 days. Some of the children had one or two episodes on

their usual time pattern after starting singulair, before going

longer between fevers.

4. Some of the parents also commented that their children had lower

temperatures and milder symptoms when they did have a fever episode,

while on singulair.

5. There was no apparent difference in age, gender or associated

symptoms between the children who had a response to singulair and

those who did not.

From these results, I would conclude that treatment with singulair is

sometimes effective in reducing the frequency and severity of fever

episode in children with . A trial of singulair should continue

for at least two months, since the effect is sometimes delayed.

Since there have been no studies published regarding the use of

singulair for , many physicians do not consider this to be an

acceptable treatment option. I have submitted the results of the

survey for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, with the goal of

bringing this option to the attention of physicians who care for

children with .

Thank you again for your help in bringing this information together.

Lierl, M.D.