Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis, treatment, and management of asthma in women across life.

Background: The epidemiology and severity of asthma vary by sex and age. The diagnosis, treatment, and management of asthma in female patients are quite challenging. However, there is hitherto no comprehensive and standardized guidance for female patients with asthma. Methods: Corresponding search strategies were determined based on clinical concerns regarding female asthma. Search terms included "sex hormones and lung development", "sex hormone changes and asthma", "hormones and asthma immune response", "women, asthma", "children, asthma", "puberty, asthma", "menstruation, asthma", "pregnancy, asthma", "lactation, asthma", "menopause, asthma", "obesity, asthma", and "women, refractory, severe asthma". Literature was retrieved from PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, China Biology Medicine disc, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data with the search date of July 30, 2022 as the last day. This consensus used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation to evaluate the strength of recommendation and quality of evidence. Results: We collected basic research results and clinical evidence-based medical data and reviewed the effects of sex hormones, classical genetics, and epigenetics on the clinical presentation and treatment response of female patients with asthma under different environmental effects. Based on that, we formulated this expert consensus on the management of female asthma throughout the life cycle. Conclusions: This expert consensus on the management of asthma in women throughout the life cycle provides diagnosis, treatment, and research reference for clinical and basic medical practitioners.

Efficacy and safety of Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan in the treatment of upper airway cough syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study.

Background: Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan has shown the potential to alleviate acute, recurrent, and chronic rhinitis in adults based on available studies. However, the evidence for its application in upper airway cough syndrome (UACS) is unclear. The purpose of this study was thus to investigate the efficacy and safety of Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan in the treatment of UACS. Methods: This was a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 60 patients who satisfied the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into experimental and placebo groups in a 1:1 ratio. The experimental group was given Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan, and the placebo group was given a simulant for 14 consecutive days. The follow-up period was 15 days. The primary outcome was the total effective rate. The secondary outcomes included clinical efficacy, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of related symptoms, and Leicester Cough Questionnaire in Mandarin-Chinese (LCQ-MC) scores before and after the treatment. Additionally, the safety was also evaluated. Results: The total effective rate in the experimental group was 86.6% (26/30), which was significantly higher than the 7.1% (2/28) in the placebo group (difference 79.6; 95% CI: 57.0 to 89.1; P<0.001). Nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, postnasal drip, and overall symptoms in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the placebo group after treatment (3.7±1.5 vs. 5.0±1.1, 3.6±1.3 vs. 5.9±1.1, 3.8±1.2 vs. 6.8±1.3, 3.5±1.4 vs. 6.1±1.5, 3.8±2.0 vs. 7.3±1.4, respectively; all P values <0.001). After treatment, the LCQ-MC score in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the placebo group (all P values <0.001). The blood eosinophil count in the placebo group was significantly higher after treatment than before treatment (P=0.037). No abnormalities were found in liver or renal indicators during the treatment period in the 2 groups, and no adverse reactions occurred. Conclusions: Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan improved the symptoms and living quality of patients with UACS and showed acceptable safety. The results of this trial represent rigorous clinical evidence for the application of Sanfeng Tongqiao Diwan and further support a new option in UACS treatment. Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2300069302.

Response of upper and lower airway inflammation to bronchial challenge with house dust mite in Chinese asthmatics: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Allergen nasal challenge can induce increase of eosinophils in sputum, but report about eosinophilic inflammation in upper airway after allergen bronchial challenge in Chinese asthmatics was rare. The article aims to evaluate response of upper and lower airways to house dust mite (HDM) allergen bronchial challenge. METHODS: HDM allergen bronchial challenge was carried out in asthmatic patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). Bronchial methacholine challenge and blood test were performed before and at 24 hours after allergen challenge. Nasal lavage and induced sputum for differential cells count and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurement were performed before, 7 and 24 hours after allergen challenge. RESULTS: Eighteen asthmatic patients with AR underwent HDM allergen bronchial challenge with no serious adverse events reported. Fifteen patients showed dual asthmatic response (DAR), while 2 patients showed early (EAR) and 1 late asthmatic response (LAR) only. At 24 hours after allergen bronchial challenge testing, average PC20FEV1 to methacholine significantly decreased (1.58 to 0.81 mg/mL, P=0.03), while both FeNO and the percentage of eosinophils in blood and sputum were significantly increased [52.0 (54.0) to 69.0 (56.0) ppb, P=0.01; 4.82% to 6.91%, P<0.001; 20.70% to 27.86%, P=0.03, respectively], but with no significant differences found in the percentage of eosinophils in nasal lavage (39.36% to 38.58%, P=0.89). However, at 7 hours after allergen challenge, the eosinophils in sputum were significant increased to 40.45% (P<0.001), but there was an increase (39.36% to 48.07%) with no statistical difference (P=0.167) found in nasal lavage. CONCLUSIONS: HDM allergen bronchial challenge induced different response of airway inflammation in upper and lower airways.

Effect of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus Immunotherapy on Upper and Lower Airway Eosinophilic Inflammatory Response to Nasal Allergen Challenge.

PURPOSE: It remains unknown whether allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) could attenuate airway inflammatory response triggered by allergen exposure. METHODS: We performed Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der-p) nasal provocation tests (NPTs) in allergic rhinitis (AR) and/or asthma patients without AIT (non-AIT), or at 16, 52, 104, or 156 weeks after Der-p AIT. Rhinitis and asthma visual analog scale (VAS; VAS of nasal symptoms [VAS-NS], VAS of asthma symptoms), the rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ), nasal lavage, sputum induction, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), nasal airway resistance, pulmonary function, and airway hyperresponsiveness were performed before and after NPT. RESULTS: Non-AIT subjects demonstrated significantly higher VAS-NS before and after NPT compared to AIT subjects (P < 0.05). NPT response was positive in 14 (100%) non-AIT, 7 (70%) 16 weeks-AIT, 6 (60%) 52 weeks-AIT, 6 (60%) 104 weeks-AIT, and 2 (20%) 156 weeks-AIT subjects. The NPT grade significantly correlated with AIT duration and baseline RQLQ score (r =- 0.561, P < 0.001 and r = 0.525, P < 0.001, respectively). Sputum and nasal lavage eosinophil count, and FeNO in non-AIT subjects were significantly increased 6 hours after NPT (P < 0.05). AIT subjects did not change their sputum or nasal lavage eosinophil count before and after NPT. Subjects with 156 weeks-AIT demonstrated significantly lower levels of sputum and nasal lavage eosinophil count before and after NPT when compared with non-AIT patients (P < 0.05). Sputum eosinophil counts positively correlated with nasal lavage eosinophil counts at baseline and 6 hours after NPT (r = 0.719, P = 0.006 and r = 0.823, P < 0.001, respectively) in non-AIT patients. CONCLUSION: Our results show that AIT can attenuate both upper and lower airway immune response to nasal allergen exposure in patients with AR and/or asthma.