title: Asthma in pregnancy--immunological changes and clinical management.
abstract: Asthma is one of the most common diseases complicating pregnancy and a risk factor for several maternal and fetal complications, posing a special challenge for physicians treating asthmatic pregnant women. Asthma influences the outcome of pregnancy and - vice versa - pregnancy affects asthma severity with bidirectional immunological interactions that are currently being examined. Supporting pregnancy-induced immunotolerance is the observation that attenuation of allergic responses can be detected in controlled asthmatic pregnant patients. However, uncontrolled asthmatic pregnant women show significant asthma-associated immune reactions, such as diminished pregnancy specific regulatory T cell proliferation, that may - besides other factors - influence fetal growth. Uncontrolled, symptomatic asthma may increase the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes; thus adequate regular anti-asthmatic treatment resulting in optimal asthma control represents a vital need during pregnancy. This review summarizes immunological changes characterizing pregnancy in asthmatic women together with the clinical implications of asthma management during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Semmelweis University, 1125 Budapest, Diós árok 1/C, Hungary. tamasi@pulm.sote.hu
authors.forename: Lilla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tamási
authors.forename: Ildikó
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Horváth
authors.forename: Anikó
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bohács
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Losonczy
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schatz
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents