American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Increased bronchial smooth muscle (BSM) mass is a key feature of airway remodeling that classically distinguishes severe from nonsevere asthma. Proliferation of BSM cells involves a specific mitochondria-dependent pathway in individuals with severe asthma. However, BSM remodeling and mitochondrial biogenesis have not been examined in nonsevere asthma. ⋯ This study reveals that BSM remodeling and mitochondrial biogenesis may play a critical role in the natural history of nonsevere asthma (Mitasthme study). Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00808730).
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Mar 2016
The Presence of Chronic Mucus Hypersecretion Across Adult Life in Relation to COPD Development.
Chronic mucus hypersecretion (CMH) is common among smokers and is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease development and progression. ⋯ CMH among middle-aged smokers represents an early developmental phase of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Smoking-related CMH usually resolves following smoking cessation but the longer its duration the greater the FEV1 lost, suggesting the course of CMH across adult life may reflect the underlying course of airway disease activity.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Mar 2016
Short Stature and Access to Lung Transplantation in the United States: A Cohort Study.
Anecdotally, short lung transplant candidates suffer from long waiting times and higher rates of death on the waiting list compared with taller candidates. ⋯ Short stature is associated with a lower rate of lung transplantation and higher rates of death and respiratory failure while awaiting transplantation. Efforts to ameliorate this disparity could include earlier referral and listing of shorter candidates, surgical downsizing of substantially oversized allografts for shorter candidates, and/or changes to allocation policy that account for candidate height.