Introduction: Ramadan is the 9th  Islamic lunar month during which Muslims avoid eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset.  The effect of Ramadan intermittent fasting on asthma control is controversial.  The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Ramadan fasting on the spirometric variables and clinical symptoms on well-controlled asthmatic patients during Ramadan. Material and M...

The present study provides evidence of the anti-asthmatic signaling activity of an aqueous fraction of green tea using specific in vitro and in vivo assays in an ovalbumin-induced asthmatic model. Mice sensitized to ovalbumin were orally administered an aqueous extract of Camellia sinensis. The lungs of these mice were then examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining and ELISA analysis to measur...

BACKGROUND A clear relationship between asthma and obesity has been reported, but the mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of obesity on eosinophil activity (chemotaxis and adhesion) in asthmatic children and adolescents compared with cells from healthy volunteers. METHODS Asthmatic obese (AO), asthmatic non-obese (ANO), non-asthmatic obese (NAO) and ...

Rhinoviruses are the major trigger of acute asthma exacerbations and asthmatic subjects are more susceptible to these infections. To investigate the underlying mechanisms of this increased susceptibility, we examined virus replication and innate responses to rhinovirus (RV)-16 infection of primary bronchial epithelial cells from asthmatic and healthy control subjects. Viral RNA expression and l...

OBJECTIVE To focus on the asthmatic pathogenesis and clinical manifestations related to epithelial sodium channel (ENaC)/chlorine ion channel. DATA SOURCES The data analyzed in this review were the English articles from 1980 to 2015 from journal databases, primarily PubMed and Google Scholar. The terms used in the literature search were: (1) ENaCs; cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductan...

BACKGROUND In asthma interleukin (IL)-13 is increased in the airway compared with non-asthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis. Whether this differential expression is specific to the airway or is more generalised is uncertain. METHODS We sought to examine IL-13 expression in peripheral blood T-cells and eosinophils in asthma and non-asthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis. Peripheral blood CD3+ cell and ...

BACKGROUND Concerns remain about the safety of bronchoscopy in asthma and there are few data on the effect of this procedure on asthma control in the days or weeks following bronchoscopy. METHODS In an initial study of bronchoalveolar lavage and bronchial biopsies in asthmatic and control subjects, data on peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR) collected prospectively before and after the procedur...

BACKGROUND Asthmatic subjects have an impaired capacity to activate the diaphragm during attempted maximal inspiratory efforts. Limb muscles require reflex facilitation to achieve maximal force. The reflex responses of inspiratory muscles to airway occlusion in asthmatic subjects were measured and compared with those in non-asthmatic control subjects. METHODS Nine healthy asthmatic subjects b...