Glucocorticoid-resistant Bronchial Asthma

Bronchial angiogenesis in severe glucocorticoid-dependent asthma.

To examine the role of the bronchial microvasculature and adhesion molecule expression in severe asthma, the authors have performed an immunohistochemical study on bronchial biopsies comparing 15 glucocorticoid-dependent asthmatics, 15 mild asthmatics and eight control subjects. Serially cut glycol methacrylate-embedded sections were stained with monoclonal antibodies identifying the vessel mar...

Glucocorticoid receptors in bronchial epithelial cells in asthma.

The expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in untreated or in steroid-dependent asthmatic patients is poorly understood. We therefore studied GR mRNA and protein levels in bronchial biopsies obtained from seven untreated asthmatic patients, seven control volunteers, and seven patients with chronic bronchitis. We also studied in bronchial epithelial cells obtained by brushing from 13 unt...

Mechanisms of Reduced Glucocorticoid Sensitivity in Bronchial Asthma

Heterogeneity of Glucocorticoid Resistance in Patients with Bronchial Asthma

Bronchial asthma is assumed to be the result of excessive inflammation driven by an aberrant T-helper-2 (Th2) response. Recently, it has begun to be recognized that asthma is a heterogeneous disorder. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are effective treatment for bronchial asthma; however, the inflammation in bronchial asthma cannot always be fully controlled. A recent study demonstrated a new underlying me...

Pulmonary Artery Agenesis with Bronchial Asthma

Unilateral Pulmonary Artery Agenesis (UPAA) is a rare congenital anomaly during the 4 th  week of gestational age. It is defined as an absence of pulmonary parenchyma and its supporting artery. A 9-year-old girl was admitted to our hospital because of chronic cough. Chest examination showed a decrement in lung sound of right hemi-thorax with expiratory wheeze. Chest radiography (CXR) revealed a...