Allergen challenge increases capsaicin-evoked cough responses in patients with allergic asthma.

Background: Cough is a common and troublesome symptom in asthmatic patients, but little is known about the neuronal pathways that trigger cough. The mechanisms by which airway inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness, and variable airflow obstruction cause cough are unclear.

Objective: We sought to investigate the effects of allergen exposure on cough reflex sensitivity.

Methacholine Challenge: Comparison of Airway Responsiveness Produced by a Vibrating Mesh Nebulizer Versus a Jet Nebulizer.

Background: The latest methacholine challenge testing (MCT) guidelines published by the European Respiratory Society recommend the characterization of nebulizers before their use in clinics and research. Such investigations are necessary for accurately determining the provocative dose of methacholine causing a 20% fall in FEV (PD) delivered by a given device. The standard English Wright (Wright) jet nebulizer recommended in the 1999 guidelines by the American Thoracic Society has become difficult to obtain and possesses some characteristics that complicate the calculation of dose delivery from this device (e.

IL-25 Receptor Expression on Airway Dendritic Cells after Allergen Challenge in Subjects with Asthma.

Rationale: IL-25 is an epithelial-derived cytokine, whose effects are mediated by the IL-25 receptor (IL-17RB), and that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of allergic disease and airway viral responses. Airway myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells. pDCs may play a protective role in asthma and are key players in the innate immune response through recognition of microbial products via Toll-like receptors (TLRs).

Comparison of the provocative concentration of methacholine causing a 20% fall in FEV1 between the AeroEclipse II breath-actuated nebulizer and the wright nebulizer in adult subjects with asthma.

Rationale: The American Thoracic Society guidelines for methacholine testing for the diagnosis of asthma recommends the 2-minute tidal breathing protocol with the Wright nebulizer, which produces more aerosol than required, generates a small particle size, and requires cleaning between tests.

Objectives: To evaluate methacholine testing using a disposable, breath-actuated AeroEclipse II, which produces aerosol during inspiration and was developed for single-patient use.

Methods: Forty-six adult subjects with asthma (19 men), aged 27.