The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology
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J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. · Dec 2002
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialChanges in sputum counts and airway hyperresponsiveness after budesonide: monitoring anti-inflammatory response on the basis of surrogate markers of airway inflammation.
Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to pharmacologic stimuli and sputum eosinophils might be useful in the individual adjustment of long-term asthma management. However, it is not clear whether inhaled glucocorticosteroids (GCSs) provide greater protection against specific surrogate markers of airways inflammation than other means. In addition, detailed longitudinal assessment of changes in airway response with inhaled GCSs has never been carried out. ⋯ The present findings underline the exquisite selectivity of diverse surrogate markers of airway inflammation in response to inhaled budesonide. When compared with that to the other markers, AHR to inhaled AMP is an early and sensitive indicator of the beneficial anti-inflammatory effects of topical GCSs.