Airway inflammation in subjects with gastro-oesophageal reflux and gastro-oesophageal reflux-related asthma.
J Intern Med
; 259(3): 323-31, 2006 Mar.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-16476110
ABSTRACT
STUDY OBJECTIVES:
Asthma and gastro-oesophageal reflux (GER) are both characterized by airway inflammation.DESIGN:
The purposes of this work were (i) to study airway inflammation in patients troubled by gastro-oesophageal reflux (GER) and GER associated with asthma, (ii) to ascertain whether GER can aggravate asthma by exacerbating the pre-existing airway inflammation and oxidative stress and (iii) to establish the validity of analysing breath condensate and induced sputum when studying the airways of subjects affected by GER. PATIENT S ANDMETHODS:
We enrolled 14 patients affected by mild asthma associated with GER (40 +/-12 years), nine with mild but persistent asthma (39 +/- 13 years), eight with GER (35 +/- 11 years) and 17 healthy subjects (37 +/- 9 years). Sputum cell counts and concentrations of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-6 and 8-isoprostane were measured in breath condensate and supernatant. MEASUREMENTS ANDRESULTS:
GER-related asthma is characterized by an eosinophilic inflammation, as determined by elevated concentrations of IL-4 in breath condensate and sputum supernatant, and by sputum cell analysis. GER alone presents a neutrophilic pattern of inflammation when determined by elevated concentrations of IL-6 in sputum cell analysis. A concomitant increase has been found in 8-isoprostane in GER associated (or not associated) with asthma.CONCLUSIONS:
We conclude that GER is characterized by a neutrophilic airway inflammation and by increased oxidative stress. GER does not however aggravate pre-existing airway inflammation in asthma patients. Determinations of inflammatory and oxidant markers in the breath condensate of subjects with GER reflect these measured in the induced sputum.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Asthma
/
Gastroesophageal Reflux
Type of study:
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
J Intern Med
Journal subject:
MEDICINA INTERNA
Year:
2006
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Italy
Publication country:
ENGLAND
/
ESCOCIA
/
GB
/
GREAT BRITAIN
/
INGLATERRA
/
REINO UNIDO
/
SCOTLAND
/
UK
/
UNITED KINGDOM