Omalizumab ameliorates extrarespiratory symptoms in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.

Background: Omalizumab, an anti-IgE antibody, has clinical efficacy against respiratory symptoms of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD). However, some patients with AERD also present with extrarespiratory (chest, gastrointestinal, and/or cutaneous) symptoms, which are resistant to conventional treatment but can be alleviated by systemic corticosteroids.

Objective: We evaluated the efficacy of omalizumab on extrarespiratory symptoms related to AERD.

Omalizumab for Aspirin Hypersensitivity and Leukotriene Overproduction in Aspirin-exacerbated Respiratory Disease. A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease is characterized by severe asthma, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug hypersensitivity, nasal polyposis, and leukotriene overproduction. Systemic corticosteroid therapy does not completely suppress lifelong aspirin hypersensitivity. Omalizumab efficacy against aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease has not been investigated in a randomized manner.

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD): Current understanding of AERD.

The characteristics in AERD are severe adult-onset asthma, eosinophilic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis, and CysLT overproduction. The cause of AERD have remained unclear, however the decrease in the production of PGE2 caused by the reduction in COX-2 activity is considered to main pathological mechanism of AERD. The mast cell activation and the interaction between platelets and granulocytes are lead to the CysLT overproduction and severe eosinophilic inflammation.

Smoking Cessation as a Possible Risk Factor for the Development of Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease in Smokers.

Background: The pathogenesis of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is characterized by the low expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in airway epithelia, which decreases the production of prostaglandin E (PGE). Conversely, cigarette smoke stimulates COX-2 expression in airway epithelia. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the development of AERD would be suppressed by elevated PGE levels in smokers, and smoking cessation might increase susceptibility to AERD.

[A CASE OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA WITH HYPEREOSINOPHILIA WITH EFFECTIVE SAIBOKUTOU THERAPY].

A 42 year old woman visited on our hospital because of cough, sputum, pruritus and erythema. She showed peripheral blood eosinophilia, high level of FENO, bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Diagnosis of bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis was made, but she rejected therapy except for Saibokutou, a Kampo herbal medicine.

[DIFFERENCES IN FRACTION OF EXHALED NITRIC OXIDE VALUES MEASURED BY TWO HAND-HELDED ANALYZERS (NObreath AND NIOX Vero)].

Background: The fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a useful marker of asthma control. The FENO measurement with two hand-helded analyzers (NObreath and NIOX Vero) may be more affordable, no studies have examined the differences in FENO values measured with those methods in adult.

Methods: The study population comprised 44 subjects at our outpatient clinic.

[THE FRACTION OF EXHALED NITRIC OXIDE (FENO) AND FORCED OSCILLATION TECHNIQUE (FOT) CAN PREDICT BRONCHIAL HYPERRESPONSIVENESS AGAINST ACETYLCHOLINE IN TREATED ASTHMATICS].

Background: The bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) test is useful to diagnose or evaluate effect of therapy in asthmatics, but invasive. On the other hands, the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a useful noninvasive marker of eosinophilic airway inflammation in asthmatics. And also, the forced oscillation technique (FOT) is a noninvasive method that is used to measure respiratory mechanics, including respiratory resistance and reactance at multiple frequencies.

[Advances in aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD)].

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is characterized by the triad of asthma, eosinophilic nasal polyposis and a hypersensitivity to all medications that inhibit the cyclo- oxygenase (COX) -1 enzyme. Clinical history and observed aspirin provocation test remains gold standard for diagnosis of AERD. AERD patients typically have more severe asthma with airflow limitation and greater requirement for high-dose corticosteroid therapies.

Anaphylaxis caused by tipepidine hibenzate, a central antitussive drug.

Tipepidine hibenzate, a central antitussive drug, is widely used in the management of cough and is generally safe and well tolerated. We present here a case of anaphylaxis caused by this drug. When the patient had caught a cold over the previous 10 years, she had received medications, including tipepidine hibenzate, from her family doctor.

Markers for step-down of inhaled corticosteroid therapy in adult asthmatics.

Background: Treatment guidelines recommend the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) as first-line therapy for all stages of persistent asthma. However, it is unknown whether ICS dose reduction in adult asthmatics is compatible with maintaining asthma control. Moreover, there are no predictors of efficacy in maintaining asthma control upon ICS reduction.

Persistent airflow obstruction in young adult asthma patients.

Background: Lung function determined by spirometry and the severity of dyspnea correlate weakly in asthma patients. We attempted to determine the risk factors in asthma patients having persistent airway obstruction despite of having only mild subjective symptoms, and to examine the possibility of improving FEV1 by treating asthma on the basis of the bronchodilator change in FEV1.

Methods: We examined asthma patients in their 20s and who visited Sagamihara National Hospital for the first time over a period of four years, by reviewing their clinical records.

Actual control state of intermittent asthma classified on the basis of subjective symptoms.

Background: Many primary care physicians begin treatment of asthma patients on the basis of their subjective symptoms. We hypothesized that patients diagnosed as having intermittent asthma on the basis of subjective symptoms by a primary care physician may have their asthma severity underestimated.

Methods: We investigated 293 patients who were in their 20s and diagnosed as having asthma.