title: Tissue and BAL based biomarkers in asthma.
abstract: Asthma is a heterogeneous disease with multiple phenotypes. There are no tissue or bronchoalveolar lavage biomarkers that are "specific" for asthma. Markers associated with eosinophilic, neutrophilic, and paucigranulocytic asthma are discussed here, and those for remodeling. Efforts are to compare tissue and lavage biomarkers with less invasive measures, such as sputum, serum, or exhaled breath, to improve the treatment and management of asthma.
authors.affiliation: Allergy/Immunology Section, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 3705 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. june.zhang@chp.edu
authors.forename: June Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Sally E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Wenzel
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000032:analysis; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015848:Interleukin-5; D016209:Interleukin-8; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9