Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0000737 (abdominal pain)
 31,184 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Inhibitors of phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4) act by increasing intracellular concentrations of cyclic AMP, which has a broad range of anti-inflammatory effects on various key effector cells involved in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The therapeutic ratio for PDE4 inhibitors is thought to be determined by selectivity on receptor subtypes for relative effects on PDE4B (anti-inflammatory) and PDE4D (emesis). The two main orally active PDE4 inhibitors in the late phase III of clinical development are cilomilast and roflumilast; the latter (and its active metabolite N-oxide) is more selective and potent with a superior therapeutic ratio. Studies on cilomilast in COPD based on bronchial biopsy material have shown a broad range of anti-inflammatory activity, and the available evidence on clinical outcomes for up to 6 months with cilomilast 15 mg twice daily and roflumilast 500 mug once daily have shown variable but significant effects on exacerbations and quality of life, with small improvements in measures of pulmonary function. Roflumilast has a better safety and tolerability profile than cilomilast, with the main adverse effects being nausea, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain. Roflumilast also has activity in asthma as assessed by its attenuation of allergen and exercise challenges, and it shows clinical efficacy equivalent to that of beclomethasone dipropionate 400 mug daily. The emerging results of clinical trials on PDE4 inhibitors in asthma and COPD should be interpreted with cautious optimism since much of the evidence has been published only in abstract form to date. The next few years should resolve important issues about the potential role of these drugs as oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory therapy for asthma and COPD and their place in management guidelines. Ultimately, clinicians will want to know whether PDE4 inhibitors are anything more than expensive "designer" theophylline, the archetypal non-selective phosphodiesterase inhibitor.
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PMID:Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 1563

Roflumilast is an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase- IV (PDE4), a cellular enzyme that is linked to airway inflammation in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In clinical trials, roflumilast produced significant improvements in FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in one second) and PEF (peak expiratory flow) compared with low-dose inhaled beclomethasone in asthma patients, and compared with placebo in COPD patients. Roflumilast reduced the use of rescue medication in both populations. COPD patients on roflumilast experienced fewer exacerbations. The most common adverse effects reported in roflumilast trials were diarrhea, nausea, headache, and abdominal pain. Evidence is only available in non-peer-reviewed format abstracts. Most of the measures used are markers of clinical effects as opposed to clinical outcomes. More studies are needed to determine the role of roflumilast in the treatment of asthma and COPD.
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PMID:Roflumilast for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 1631 27