title: Lipid-laden bronchoalveolar macrophages in asthma and chronic cough.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The presence of lipids in alveolar macrophages (AMs) may impair their phagocytic response, and determine airway inflammation and obstruction.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the factors such as severity of asthma, chronic cough, airway inflammation and obesity that may influence the presence of lipids in lung macrophages.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was obtained from 38 asthmatics (21 severe and 17 mild/moderate), 16 subjects with chronic cough and 11 healthy control subjects. The presence of lipids in macrophages was detected using an Oil-red-O stain and an index of lipid-laden macrophages (LLMI) was obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LLMI scores were higher in healthy subjects (median 48 [IQR 10-61]) and the severe asthma group (37 [11.5-61]) compared to mild/moderate asthmatics (7 [0.5-37]; p < 0.05 each). Subjects reporting a history of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) had higher LLMI values (41.5 [11.3-138] versus 13 [0-39.3], p = 0.02). There was no significant correlation between LLMI and chronic cough, BAL cell differential counts, FEV1, FEV1/FVC or body mass index (BMI).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reduced LLMI in mild/moderate asthma may be related to lower incidence of GORD. However, this was not related to the degree of airflow obstruction, obesity or airway inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Studies, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: david.gibeon07@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gibeon
authors.affiliation: Experimental Studies, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sogbesan
authors.affiliation: Experimental Studies, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Banya
authors.affiliation: Experimental Studies, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rossios
authors.affiliation: Experimental Studies, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: Experimental Studies, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hull
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Menzies-Gow
authors.affiliation: Experimental Studies, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Bhavsar
authors.affiliation: Experimental Studies, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: f.chung@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003371:Cough / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids
keywords: Asthma; Cough; Lipid-laden macrophages