Asthma with Irreversible Airway Obstruction in Smokers and Nonsmokers: Links between Airway Inflammation and Structural Changes.

Background: The development of irreversible airway obstruction (IRAO) in asthma is related to lung/airway inflammatory and structural changes whose characteristics are likely influenced by exposure to tobacco smoke.

Objective: To investigate the interplay between airway and lung structural changes, airway inflammation, and smoking exposure in asthmatics with IRAO.

Methods: We studied asthmatics with IRAO who were further classified according to their smoking history, those with ≥20 pack-years of tobacco exposure (asthmatics with smoking-related IRAO [AwS-IRAO]) and those with <5 pack-years of tobacco exposure (asthmatics with nonsmoking-related IRAO [AwNS-IRAO]).

Longitudinal comparison of outcomes in patients with smoking-related asthma-COPD overlap and in non-smoking asthmatics with incomplete reversibility of airway obstruction.

Background: There is a need to characterize the impact of the smoking status on the clinical course of asthmatics with incomplete reversibility of airway obstruction (IRAO).

Objective: To compare longitudinal health care use, symptom control, and medication needs between smoking and non-smoking asthmatics with IRAO.

Materials And Methods: This was a 12-month follow-up of a cross-sectional study comparing asthmatics with IRAO according to their tobacco exposure.

Asthma-COPD Overlap Phenotypes and Smoking :Comparative features of asthma in smoking or non-smoking patients with an incomplete reversibility of airway obstruction.

The development of COPD features, such as an incomplete reversibility of airway obstruction (IRAO), in smoking or non-smoking asthmatic patients, a condition often named Asthma-COPD Overlap (ACO), has been recognized for decades. However, there is a need to know more about the sub-phenotypes of this condition according to smoking. This study aimed at comparing the clinical, physiological and inflammatory features of smoking and non-smoking asthmatic patients exhibiting IRAO.

Comparative prevalence of co-morbidities in smoking and non-smoking asthma patients with incomplete reversibility of airway obstruction, non-smoking asthma patients with complete reversibility of airway obstruction and COPD patients.

Background: Asthma with incomplete reversibility of airway obstruction (IRAO) may often be associated to smoking-induced changes. Nevertheless, a high proportion of patients showing IRAO have never smoked. These patients with IRAO often share features of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The effects of a CXCR1/CXCR2 antagonist on neutrophil migration in mild atopic asthmatic subjects.

Background: Neutrophils are effector cells recruited to airways in patients with asthma. Migration of neutrophils occurs predominantly through activation of the CXCR1 and CXCR2 receptors by CXC chemokines, including IL-8 and Gro-α. The dual CXCR1/CXCR2 antagonist SCH 527123 has been developed to target neutrophil migration to alleviate airway neutrophilia.

Efficacy and safety of multiple doses of QGE031 (ligelizumab) versus omalizumab and placebo in inhibiting allergen-induced early asthmatic responses.

Background: Omalizumab is an established anti-IgE therapy for the treatment of allergic diseases that prevents IgE from binding to its receptor. QGE031 is an investigational anti-IgE antibody that binds IgE with higher affinity than omalizumab.

Objective: This study compared the effects of QGE031 with those of omalizumab on clinical efficacy, IgE levels, and FcεRI expression in a clinical model of allergic asthma.

Roflumilast attenuates allergen-induced inflammation in mild asthmatic subjects.

Background: Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors increase intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), leading to regulation of inflammatory cell functions. Roflumilast is a potent and targeted PDE4 inhibitor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of roflumilast on bronchoconstriction, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), and airway inflammation in mild asthmatic patients undergoing allergen inhalation challenge.

Prolonged bronchoprotection against inhaled methacholine by inhaled BI 1744, a long-acting beta(2)-agonist, in patients with mild asthma.

Background: Long-acting ss(2)-agonists are an established controller medication in asthma. BI 1744 is a novel L\long-acting ss(2)-agonist with a preclinical profile that suggests 24-hour bronchodilation and bronchoprotection may be achieved.

Objective: To examine the bronchoprotective effects of single doses of BI 1744 against methacholine provocation in subjects with mild asthma.

How should we quantify asthma control? A proposal.

Background: Current asthma guidelines suggest a series of criteria to assess if asthma is controlled. However, there is a need to develop a simple and practical method to quantify the degree of such control, both in clinical practice and research.

Study Objectives: This report describes a new method to quantify asthma control based on a percentage score.

Diisocyanate antigen-stimulated monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 synthesis has greater test efficiency than specific antibodies for identification of diisocyanate asthma.

We previously reported that diisocyanate-human serum albumin (DIISO-HSA) stimulated production of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells is significantly associated with a clinical diagnosis of diisocyanate asthma (DA). Others have reported that antibodies for DIISO-HSA are specific but insensitive markers of DA. This study was performed to evaluate test characteristics of the in vitro MCP-1 assay compared with DIISO-HSA-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgE in identifying workers with DA.