Asthma Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Asthma, including details on symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, causes, medications.

Differences in radiological/HRCT findings in eosinophilic bronchitis and asthma: implication for bronchial responsiveness.

Park SW, Park JS, Lee YM, Lee JH, Jang AS, Kim DJ, Hwangbo Y, Uh ST, Kim YH, Park CS

Asthma and Allergy Research Group, Department of Radiology, Soonchunhyang University Seoul, Cheonan and Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon Gyeonggi Do 420-021, Republic of Korea.

BACKGROUND: Airway hyperresponsiveness in asthmatics is considered to be one of the major consequences of airway inflammation and remodelling. Airway responsiveness is normal in patients with eosinophilic bronchitis (EB), despite eosinophilic inflammation of the airways comparable to that which occurs in asthmatics. Comparisons between asthma and EB should clarify the changes in airway morphology that are related specifically to AHR in asthmatics. METHODS: Eighteen asthmatic patients, 15 patients with EB, and 11 healthy subjects were recruited. Airway wall area percentage (WA%), centrilobular prominence, and air trapping were compared using thin slice section computed tomography. RESULTS: WA% was significantly greater in asthmatics than in patients with EB (72 (3.1)% v 54 (2.1)%, p = 0.032) and was similar in EB patients and controls (54 (2.1)% v 57 (1.8)%, p>0.05). Centrilobular prominence and air trapping were similar in EB patients and asthmatics and were significantly greater than in controls. CONCLUSION: WA% rather than air trapping or centrilobular prominence may be associated with the airway hyperresponsiveness that occurs in asthmatics but not in patients with EB.

Published 6 January 2006 in Thorax, 61(1): 41-7.
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