Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology
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Classification of respiratory symptoms may help to identify different underlying asthma phenotypes reflecting differences in aetiology and prognosis of wheezing disease among children. ⋯ LCA on reported symptoms in a cross-sectional survey allowed different subgroups with meaningful clinical correlates to be defined. It remains to be investigated to what extent these groups also have different aetiologies, prognoses and therapeutic needs.
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Allergic airway inflammation contributes to the airway remodelling that has been linked to increased obstruction and morbidity in asthma. However, the mechanisms by which allergens contribute to airway remodelling in humans are not fully established. CCL18, chitotriosidase (CHIT1) and YKL-40 are readily detectable in the lungs and contribute to remodelling in other fibrotic diseases, but their involvement in allergic asthma is unclear. ⋯ Our results suggest that CCL18 and YKL-40 levels and CHIT1 activity are enhanced in allergic airway inflammation and thus may contribute to airway remodelling in asthma.