title: Effects of long-term glucocorticoid therapy on bronchoalveolar cells in adult patients with bronchial asthma.
abstract: The effects of long-term glucocorticoid therapy on airway inflammation were examined in 84 asthma patients. The proportion of lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was significantly decreased in patients with steroid-dependent intractable asthma (SDIA) compared to results in non-SDIA patients, while BAL neutrophils were significantly increased in SDIA patients compared to results in non-SDIA patients. Regarding age, in patients under the age of 69 (except those between 30 and 39), BAL lymphocyte number was significantly decreased in SDIA compared with non-SDIA subjects, and in patients between 50 and 69, BAL neutrophils were significantly increased in SDIA compared with non-SDIA subjects. The number of BAL lymphocytes was significantly lower in patients with serum cortisol levels of less than 5.0 micrograms/dl than in those with levels of more than 5.1 micrograms/dl. BAL lymphocyte number was also significantly lower in patients who had received glucocorticoid therapy for more than 6 years than in those who had received such therapy for 2 years. These results show that long-term glucocorticoid therapy decreases the number of lymphocytes and increases neutrophil numbers in the airways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Misasa Medical Branch, Okayama University Medical School, Tottori, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanizaki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kitani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mifune
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mitsunobu
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kimura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D004804:Eosinophils; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011239:Prednisolone; D006854:Hydrocortisone