[Asthma and bronchial hyperreactivity. Current concepts].
During the last decade much progress has been done in the understanding of the pathogenesis of asthma. The concept of a bronchospastic disease has been replaced by that of a chronic desquamating eosinophilic bronchitis. Bronchial inflammation is primarily responsible for airway hyperresponsiveness, the hallmark of asthma. An abnormality of a subtype of muscarinic receptors probably plays a permissive role.
Faber
J
J
Département de Pneumologie C.H.U. Montigny-le-Tilleul.
Van Meerhaeghe
A
A
D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D001980:Bronchi / Q000276:immunology / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology