title: Potential role of pentosidine on susceptibility to small airway closure in elderly and smoking asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Small airway closure in asthma is determined by a complex interaction of structural and functional characteristics including lung elastic recoil. Recently, we determined that loss of elastic recoil might be attributable to pentosidine level in the airways. This study was designed to investigate the influences of aging and smoking on small airway closure in asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-one patients with asthma (20 non-smoking young adult, 23 non-smoking elderly, and 18 smoking young adult) and 36 control subjects (12 non-smoking young adult, 11 non-smoking elderly, and 13 smoking young adult) were included. We assessed airway responses during methacholine provocation and calculated the closing index. In addition, we measured pentosidine levels in induced sputum from all study subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pentosidine levels in induced sputum were markedly higher in asthmatic patients than in controls. In control subjects, the intergroup differences in pentosidine level among 3 subgroups were significant. Similarly, pentosidine levels were significantly higher in non-smoking elderly and smoking young adult asthmatics than in non-smoking young adult asthmatics. There was no significant difference in pentosidine levels between non-smoking elderly and smoking young adult asthmatics. The closing index was also significantly higher in non-smoking elderly and smoking young adult asthmatics than in non-smoking young adult asthmatics. Moreover, pentosidine levels in non-smoking elderly and smoking young adult asthmatics were closely correlated with closing index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We determined the correlation of pentosidine level with susceptibility to small airway closure in elderly and smoking asthmatics. Our results might facilitate the understanding of elderly and smoking asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, 1-4-3, Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan. Electronic address: kanazawa-h@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanazawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, 1-4-3, Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigenori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kyoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, 1-4-3, Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tochino
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, 1-4-3, Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asai
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, 1-4-3, Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuto
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests / Q000379:methods; D016084:Bronchoconstriction / Q000502:physiology*; D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008239:Lysine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D008875:Middle Aged; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D001120:Arginine; C062187:pentosidine; D008239:Lysine
keywords: Aging; Airway closure; Lung elastic recoil; Methacholine provocation; Pentosidine; Smoking