We found no differences in asthma severity between obese and nonobese asthmatics. Interestingly, obese patients demonstrated more neutrophils in sputum and blood than nonobese patients. The smaller improvement in FEV(1) and sputum eosinophils suggests a worse corticosteroid treatment response in obese asthmatics.
Our data show for the first time that Ca(2+) signaling plays a crucial role in barrier dysfunction and the pro-inflammatory response of bronchial epithelium upon HDM exposure and may thus have important implications for the development of allergic asthma.
To cite this article: van den Berge M, ten Hacken NHT, van der Wiel E, Postma DS. Treatment of the bronchial tree from beginning to end: targeting small airway inflammation in asthma. Allergy 2013; 68: 16-26.
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