Clinical and inflammatory determinants of bronchial hyperresponsiveness in COPD.

Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) is regarded as a hallmark of asthma, yet it is also present in a considerable number of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Epidemiological studies have shown that BHR provides complementary information to forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) for development and progression of COPD. We hypothesised that the severity of BHR and its longitudinal changes associate with both clinical and airway inflammation measures in COPD.

Effect of fluticasone with and without salmeterol on pulmonary outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized trial.

Background: Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) and long-acting beta(2)-agonists (LABAs) are used to treat moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Objective: To determine whether long-term ICS therapy, with and without LABAs, reduces inflammation and improves pulmonary function in COPD.

Design: Randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Association of mast cells with lung function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: In asthma, higher chymase positive mast cell (MC-C) numbers are associated with less airway obstruction. In COPD, the distribution of MC-C and tryptase positive mast cells (MC-T) in central and peripheral airways, and their relation with lung function, is unknown. We compared MC-T and MC-C distributions in COPD and controls without airflow limitation, and determined their relation with lung function.

Smoking cessation and bronchial epithelial remodelling in COPD: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is associated with bronchial epithelial changes, including squamous cell metaplasia and goblet cell hyperplasia. These features are partially attributed to activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Whereas smoking cessation reduces respiratory symptoms and lung function decline in COPD, inflammation persists.

Airway inflammation contributes to health status in COPD: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by irreversible airflow limitation and airway inflammation, accompanied by decreased health status. It is still unknown which factors are responsible for the impaired health status in COPD. We postulated that airway inflammation negatively contributes to health status in COPD.

A disintegrin and metalloprotease 33 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease pathophysiology.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory disorder with increasing prevalence and mortality. It is associated with airway obstruction, increased airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR), and ongoing airway and lung inflammation dominated by CD8 lymphocytes and neutrophils. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a disintegrin and metalloprotease 33 (ADAM33) gene have been associated with AHR and COPD.

Dissociation of lung function and airway inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is defined by progressive, irreversible airflow limitation and an inflammatory response of the lungs, usually to cigarette smoke. However, COPD is a heterogeneous disease in terms of clinical, physiologic, and pathologic presentation. We aimed to evaluate whether airflow limitation, airway responsiveness, and airway inflammation are separate entities underlying the pathophysiology of COPD by using factor analysis.