title: Responsiveness, inflammation, and effects of deep breaths on obstruction in mild asthma.
abstract: Using cellular and biochemical characteristics of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) liquid as an index of inflammation, we examined the relationships between change of airway caliber after a deep inhalation (DI), degree of base-line airway hyperresponsiveness, and peripheral airway inflammation in a group of 16 atopic asymptomatic mild asthmatics and 6 normal subjects. Compared with normal subjects, asthmatics demonstrated 1) significantly higher BAL concentrations of histamine, total protein, the sulfidopeptide leukotrienes (SRS-A), and leukotiene B4; 2) a decrease in specific airway conductance (sGaw) with a DI at base line vs. an increase in normal subjects (before vs. after percent change in sGaw, -10 vs. 12, P less than 0.05); and 3) no significant difference in BAL total cell count or leukocyte differential. Significant correlations were demonstrated between 1) percent of BAL eosinophils vs. degree of airway hyperresponsiveness; 2) base-line level of airway obstruction vs. degree of hyperresponsiveness; 3) effects of a DI vs. BAL concentrations of eosinophils, total protein, and histamine; 4) base-line forced expired volume in 1 s vs. BAL concentrations of total protein and histamine; and 5) BAL concentrations of the various mediators with each other. These data support the notion that 1) the response to a DI in mild, stable asthmatics represents a physiological indicator of peripheral obstruction because of inflammation and 2) this inflammation is associated with increases in several known mediators of airway inflammation and hyperreactivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Pliss
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Ingenito
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Ingram
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D015289:Leukotrienes / Q000032:analysis; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000032:analysis; D012016:Reference Values; D012119:Respiration; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation
chemical_list: D015289:Leukotrienes; D011453:Prostaglandins