title: Atopy may be an important determinant of subepithelial fibrosis in subjects with asymptomatic airway hyperresponsiveness.
abstract: The bronchial pathology of asymptomatic airway hyperreponsiveness (AHR) subjects is not well understood, and the role of atopy in the development of airway remodeling is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether atopy is associated with airway remodeling in asymptomatic AHR subjects. Five groups, i.e., atopic or non-atopic subjects with asymptomatic AHR, atopic or non-atopic healthy controls, and subjects with mild atopic asthma, were evaluated by bronchoscopic biopsy. By electron microscopy, mean reticular basement membrane (RBM) thicknesses were 4.3+/-1.7 microm, 3.4+/-1.8 microm, 2.5+/-1.5 microm, 2.6+/-1.1 microm, and 2.3+/-1.2 microm in the mild atopic asthma, atopic and non-atopic asymptomatic AHR, atopic and nonatopic control groups, respectively (p=0.002). RBM thicknesses were significantly higher in the mild atopic asthma group and in the atopic asymptomatic AHR group than in the other three groups (p=0.048). No significant difference in RBM thickness was observed between the atopic asymptomatic AHR group and the mild atopic asthma group (p>0.05), nor between non-atopic asymptomatic AHR group and the two control groups (p>0.05). By light microscopy, subepithelial layer thicknesses between the groups showed the same results. These findings suggest that RBM thickening occurs in subjects with atopic asymptomatic AHR, and that atopy plays an important role in airway remodeling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Yoon-Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hye-Seung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Doo-Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Choon-Taek
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young-Hwan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yoon-Keun
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung-Up
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: You-Young
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang-Heon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001706:Biopsy; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012307:Risk Factors