title: [Methods of evaluating airway inflammation].
abstract: Airway inflammation is a feature of bronchial asthma and can be quantified invasively with bronchial mucosal biopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage. The induction of sputum by the inhalation of hypertonic saline however is safer and more noninvasive when compared with such methods. Evidence of airway inflammation may be revealed by examining hypertonic saline-induced sputum for eosinophils, cytokines and eosinophil cationic protein. There is a clear need however to develop further noninvasive discriminant measurement of airway inflammation.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Showa University.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mita
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adachi
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D004804:Eosinophils; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic