The Journal of asthma : official journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma
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Comparative Study
Calcium and magnesium in exhaled breath condensate of children with endogenous and exogenous airway acidification.
Regulation of pH in the airways is of physiological importance. As acidification of the airways causes bronchoconstriction, the aim of the present study was to find out whether there is any difference in calcium and magnesium in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) of children with uncontrolled asthma (i.e., with endogenous acidification) and children with gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD (i.e., with exogenous acidification). ⋯ Lower concentration of magnesium may indicate its role in bronchoconstiction.
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Effects of obstructive sleep apnea and gastroesophageal reflux disease on asthma control in obesity.
Obesity is a risk factor for asthma. Obese asthmatics often have poor asthma control and respond poorly to therapy. It has been suggested that co-morbidities associated with obesity, such as reflux and obstructive sleep apnea, could be important factors contributing to poor asthma control in obese patients. ⋯ Our data suggest that obstructive sleep apnea, but not gastroesophageal reflux disease, may contribute significantly to poor asthma control in obese patients.
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Comparative Study
sICAM-1 and TNF-α in asthma and rhinitis: relationship with the presence of atopy.
A genetically determined overproduction of specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) underlies many diseases like asthma or allergic rhinitis. IgE as well as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) play a critical role in the induction and maintenance of inflammation. While the correlation between IgE and atopy is inseparable, little is known about the correlation of atopy with markers of inflammation. ⋯ Concentrations of sICAM-1 and TNF-α are significantly higher in patients with asthma compared with those observed in patients with rhinitis, but they are independent of the presence of atopy.
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Home exposure to allergens is an important factor in the development of sensitization and subsequent exacerbations of allergic asthma. We investigated linkages among allergen exposure, immunological measurements, and asthma by examining (1) reservoir dust allergen levels in homes, (2) associations between presence of allergens in homes and sensitization status of resident children, and (3) associations between asthma status and total IgE, atopy (by Phadiatop), and positive allergen-specific tests. ⋯ Both the co-occurrence of multiple allergens in dust and the high frequency of multiple allergen sensitizations indicate that a broad-based intervention aimed at reducing multiple allergens (pets, pests, and molds) would be more successful than any approach that aimed at reducing one type of allergen.