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Published on: May 14, 2012
Appraising the small airways in asthma
Jill R Johnson1, Qutayba Hamid
1Meakins-Christie Laboratories, McGill University, 3626 St Urbain Street,Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine
|November 25, 2011
Summary
Recent advances highlight the critical role of small airways in asthma. New methods assess inflammation and remodeling, offering potential for improved asthma control through targeted drug delivery.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Respiratory Research
- Asthma Pathophysiology
Background:
- Small airways are crucial in asthma, yet difficult to target effectively.
- Assessing small airway inflammation, remodeling, and function presents significant challenges.
- Understanding distal lung involvement is key to improving asthma morbidity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in understanding small airways in asthma.
- To highlight challenges in assessing small airway inflammation and remodeling.
- To explore enhanced drug delivery to the distal lung.
Main Methods:
- Exhaled gas measurements, including nitric oxide and novel biomarkers.
- Histopathological analysis of distal lung tissue for mast cell infiltration.
- Functional assessments such as small airway compliance and ventilation defect measurements.
- Studies on inhaled corticosteroid particle size and lung function.
Main Results:
- Exhaled biomarkers offer new ways to evaluate small airway inflammation.
- Significant mast cell infiltration and structural changes are observed in small airways.
- Improved methods for assessing small airway function and the impact of inhaled corticosteroids exist.
Conclusions:
- Novel insights into small airway inflammation, remodeling, and function are emerging.
- The distal lung plays a vital role in asthma pathology.
- Advances in small airway drug delivery hold promise for better asthma management.
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