The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology
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J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. · Aug 2006
Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe functional benefit of anti-inflammatory aerosols in the lung periphery.
The target of anti-inflammatory therapy in asthma is thought to be situated, at least partly, in the lung periphery, and inhaled steroid aerosols are being engineered to reach it. However, the potential effect of such aerosols cannot be fully evaluated by conventional lung function tests because these are insensitive to peripheral lung structure. ⋯ A new noninvasive measure of small airways function reveals why, and for which particular patients with asthma, small steroid aerosol particles can be of therapeutic use.
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J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. · Aug 2006
Experimental gastrointestinal allergy enhances pulmonary responses to specific and unrelated allergens.
Gastrointestinal allergy often precedes or coexists with respiratory allergy. ⋯ Experimental gastrointestinal allergy primes for responses to allergens in the respiratory tract, enhancing antigen-specific antibody and T(H)2 cytokine production, airway inflammation, and airway hyperresponsiveness.
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J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. · Jul 2006
Periostin: a novel component of subepithelial fibrosis of bronchial asthma downstream of IL-4 and IL-13 signals.
Subepithelial fibrosis is a cardinal feature of bronchial asthma. Collagen I, III, and V; fibronectin; and tenascin-C are deposited in the lamina reticularis. Extensive evidence supports the pivotal role of IL-4 and IL-13 in subepithelial fibrosis; however, the precise mechanism remains unclear. We have previously identified the POSTN gene encoding periostin as an IL-4/IL-13-inducible gene in bronchial epithelial cells. Periostin is thought to be an adhesion molecule because it possesses 4 fasciclin I domains. ⋯ Periostin induced by IL-4/IL-13 shows promise in inhibiting subepithelial fibrosis in bronchial asthma.
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J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. · Jul 2006
Letter Case ReportsContinuous hydromorphone infusion for opioid intolerance.