title: Prednisone blunts airway neutrophilic inflammatory response due to ozone exposure in asthmatic subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effect of corticosteroids on the ozone (O3)-induced airway inflammation is still debated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to confirm the effect of a short-term treatment with oral glucocorticosteroids on O3-induced airway inflammation, detected by induced sputum analysis, and on functional response in glucocorticosteroid-naive subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized, placebo-controlled study using oral prednisone (25 mg o.d. for 4 days) was carried out. Nine mild persistent asthmatics were exposed for 2 h, on separatedays, to 0.27 ppm O3 and to air in random order, after 4 days of treatment with prednisone (25 mg o.d.) and after 4 days of placebo.Before and after exposure, pulmonary function test was measured; 6 h afterexposure, sputum induction was done.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Oral glucorticosteroids did not prevent pulmonary function decrement due to O3. After placebo, the percentage of neutrophils in induced sputum was significantly higher after O3 than after air [52.1 (15.7-77.3) vs. 17.8 (1.7-58.4), p=0.02, O3 vs. air]. This difference was lost after 4 days of treatment with prednisone [35.2% (10-96.2) vs. 30.9% (6.1-75.6), n.s., O3 vs. air]. Neutrophil elastase in sputum supernatant increased after O3 exposure in the sample obtained after placebo, but not after prednisone treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms that glucocorticosteroids reduce inflammatory airway response, but do not prevent the airway functional impairment after O3 exposure.
authors.affiliation: Pneumology Section, Cardiothoracic Department, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. b.vagaggini@ao-pisa.toscana.it
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vagaggini
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cianchetti
authors.forename: Marialaura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bartoli
authors.forename: Manrico
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bacci
authors.forename: Federico L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Dente
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Franco
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paggiaro
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010126:Ozone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical; D010126:Ozone; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase; D011241:Prednisone