title: Biomarkers and severe asthma: a critical appraisal.
abstract: Severe asthma (SA) is a clinically and etiologically heterogeneous respiratory disease which affects among 5-10 % of asthmatic patients. Despite high-dose therapy, a large patients percentage is not fully controlled and has a poor quality of life. In this review, we describe the biomarkers actually known in scientific literature and used in clinical practice for SA assessment and management: neutrophils, eosinophils, periostin, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, exhaled breath condensate and galectins. Moreover, we give an overview on clinical and biological features characterizing severe asthma, paying special attention to the potential use of these ones as reliable markers. We finally underline the need to define different biomarkers panels to select patients affected by severe asthma for specific and personalized therapeutic approach.
authors.affiliation: DIMI-Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory Diseases and Allergy Clinic, University of Genoa, IRCCS AOU S.Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiappori
authors.affiliation: DIMI-Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory Diseases and Allergy Clinic, University of Genoa, IRCCS AOU S.Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Ferrari
authors.affiliation: DIMI-Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory Diseases and Allergy Clinic, University of Genoa, IRCCS AOU S.Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Folli
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Technologies, CNR, Segrate, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mauri
authors.affiliation: DIMI-Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory Diseases and Allergy Clinic, University of Genoa, IRCCS AOU S.Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Riccio
authors.affiliation: DIMI-Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory Diseases and Allergy Clinic, University of Genoa, IRCCS AOU S.Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio Walter
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Canonica
keywords: Allergic inflammation; Biomarkers; Eosinophil; Exhaled nitric oxide; Galectin; Monoclonal antibodies; Neutrophil; Periostin; Severe asthma