Clinical features in patients of cough variant asthma with normal and high level of exhaled fractional nitric oxide.

Objective: Cough variant asthma (CVA) is a subtype of asthma that is characterized by a chronic cough. The clinical characteristics and pulmonary function in patients with CVA who had normal and high exhaled fractional nitric oxide (FeNO) levels were compared.

Methods: The clinical history and pulmonary function data from 99 patients with newly diagnosed CVA were collected.

Inhaled corticosteroid influence toll like receptor 2 expression in induced sputum from patients with COPD.

Background: The link between long-term ICS therapy and respiratory infection in COPD patients is controversial. We investigated the effect of long-term use of inhaled corticosteroid on Toll like receptor 2 (TLR2) expression in induced sputum from COPD patients.

Methods: 51 patients were divided into two groups according to their treatment history: long-term ICS treatment group (patients who have used ICS (equivalent to Fluticasone Propionate (FP) ≥ 500 ug/day for more than 1 year) (n = 21) and ICS naive group (who have never routinely used ICS before, n = 29).