Bronchial hyperresponsiveness: Too complex to be useful?

Joos, GF

HERO ID

626953

Reference Type

Journal Article

Subtype

Review

Year

2003

Reference is

  Locked

Language

English

PMID

12810185

HERO ID 626953
Material Type Review
In Press No
Year 2003
Title Bronchial hyperresponsiveness: Too complex to be useful?
Authors Joos, GF
Journal Current Opinion in Pharmacology
Volume 3
Issue 3
Page Numbers 233-238
Abstract Measures of bronchial responsiveness are widely used for the diagnosis and monitoring of asthma. A vast array of non-specific bronchoconstrictor stimuli is available. Methacholine and histamine cause airflow limitation predominantly through a direct effect on airway smooth muscle. Indirect challenges (adenosine, exercise and hypertonic saline) induce airflow limitation by an action on cells other than smooth muscle cells, with a variety of cells, mediators and receptors being involved in this process. Bronchial responsiveness to a direct stimulus is only weakly related to airway inflammation, whereas indirect airway challenges might better reflect active airway inflammation. Both direct and indirect airway challenges are useful outcome parameters in clinical studies of asthma. For example, an indirect challenge responds to treatment with inhaled steroids within hours to days, whereas improvement in direct responsiveness might take months to years. Bronchial challenges are also an essential step in the development of new anti-asthma treatments, such as adenosine or tachykinin receptor antagonists.
Doi 10.1016/S1471-4892(03)00046-8
Pmid 12810185
Wosid WOS:000183845000005
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Is Public Yes
Language Text English
Is Qa Yes