Serum periostin levels following small bone fractures, long bone fractures and joint replacements: an observational study.

Background: In asthma, serum periostin may potentially be used as a biomarker in the management of patients with Type-2 eosinophilic airway inflammation. However, serum periostin may be influenced by factors other than Type 2 inflammation, potentially confounding its interpretation. We aimed to measure change in periostin following bone injury.

RCT of the effect of berryfruit polyphenolic cultivar extract in mild steroid-naive asthma: a cross-over, placebo-controlled study.

Objective: There is preclinical evidence that consumption of berryfruit extract may reduce chronic airways inflammation and modify airway remodelling in allergen-induced models of lung inflammation. We investigated the effect of berryfruit extract on the fractional expired nitric oxide (FeNO), a biomarker of eosinophilic airways inflammation, in adults with steroid-naïve asthma.

Design: Randomised placebo-controlled cross-over double-blind trial.

Short-acting β-agonist use as a marker of current asthma control.

Background: The relationship between current asthma symptoms and rescue bronchodilator (reliever) use is uncertain, leading to different recommendations about the preferred reliever metric to use when assessing asthma control. In a 6-month randomized controlled trial of combination budesonide/formoterol as maintenance and reliever therapy versus combination budesonide/formoterol as maintenance treatment with albuterol as reliever, we measured inhaler use by electronic monitoring.

Objective: To determine the agreement between current asthma symptoms and different metrics of albuterol use for patients randomly assigned to maintenance budesonide/formoterol treatment.