BACKGROUND Respiratory infections are well known triggers of asthma exacerbations, but their role in stable adult asthma remains unclear. METHODS 103 asthmatics and 30 control subjects were enrolled in the study. Sputum was induced by inhalation of 3% NaCl solution. Oropharyngeal swab specimens were obtained from the posterior wall of the oropharynx. Respiratory specimens were analysed by RT-...

introduction: asthma and obesity are among diseases that cause several problems and impair quality of life.  the concurrence of these diseases, changes in the respiratory physiology, changes associated with obesity and limited activity associated with asthma may cause an interaction between the two conditions. materials and methods: we studied the epidemiologic characteristics of all recently d...

The causes of asthma remain unknown although it is now clear that the underlying pathology of the disease, even in its mildest forms, is one of chronic persistent inflammation. This fact is recognised in many national, and more recently, international guidelines, which recommend that treatment in all but the most mild episodic asthma should be aimed at the underlying pathology rather than at su...

The aim of this study was to examine the dose-response relationship of inhaled budesonide in adolescents and adults with asthma. A meta-analysis was carried out on placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trials, presenting data on at least one outcome measure of asthma and using at least two doses of budesonide, delivered by turbuhaler or metered-dose inhaler + spacer twice daily. A total of si...

BACKGROUND Bronchial hyper responsiveness (BHR), is a risk factor for asthma. It is a state in which excessive narrowing of the airways occurs in response to varying stimuli. BHR seems to be due to the interaction of multiple factors and its relation to asthma is complex. Asthma without BHR is unusual. Indeed, patients who show a higher degree of symptoms have higher levels of BHR. To date no s...

People with mild asthma will not be included in the UK’s sixth priority group for covid-19 vaccination, it has emerged. Those left out of early vaccination plans include people well controlled who take regular inhaled steroids, such as budesonide, and would normally receive a request to come forward flu each year. But others, including have been admitted hospital result their symptoms, include...

A double blind, parallel group study was carried out to investigate the effect of inhaled budesonide in a moderate (200 micrograms) and a low (100 micrograms) twice daily dosage compared with the effect of placebo in 103 adults with mild symptomatic asthma. Subjects recorded peak expiratory flow (PEF), asthma symptoms, and beta 2 agonist consumption at home for a period of seven weeks (a one we...

INTRODUCTION A high level of exhaled nitric oxide (NO) is a marker for inflammation in the airways of asthmatic subjects. However, little is known about how NO and inducible nitric oxides synthase (iNOS) activity may affect remodelling in the distal lung. We hypothesized that there is a link between iNOS and ongoing remodelling processes in the distal lung of mild asthmatics. METHODS Patients...

OBJECTIVE To characterize perceived access and barriers to quality health care for asthma among the caregivers of children in the inner city. DESIGN Multicenter, cross-sectional survey. SETTING Eight sites in 7 major metropolitan US inner cities. PARTICIPANTS A systematic sample of children with asthma, aged 4 to 9 years, and their caregivers who resided in census tracts in which at least...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the association between serum total IgE levels and disease severity in adult patients with persistent allergic asthma and to explore the main predictors of IgE levels. METHODS We performed a multicenter, retrospective, observational study including adult patients diagnosed ≥ 1 year previously with persistent allergic asthma who were positive to ≥ 1 allergen. Patients al...