BACKGROUND Real-time reverse transcription PCR (rRT-PCR) of sputum samples is commonly used to diagnose Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. Owing to the difficulty of extracting RNA from sputum containing mucus, sputum homogenization is desirable prior to nucleic acid isolation. We determined optimal homogenization methods for isolating viral nucleic acids from sp...

BACKGROUND Due to frequent infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, repeated respiratory cultures are obtained to inform treatment. When patients are unable to expectorate sputum, clinicians obtain throat swabs as a surrogate for lower respiratory cultures. There is no clear data in adult subjects demonstrating the adequacy of throat swabs as a surrogate for sputum or BAL. Our study was des...

Over the past few years cellular and biochemical sputum examinations have become important instruments to assess airway inflammation. The aim of this review is to summarize new methodological developments and aspects, which are currently under investigation. The use of isotonic saline has increased safety of inductions in patients with severe asthma and in children. The origin of sputum is bett...

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a hypersensitivity reaction to the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, causing severe asthma that may progress to bronchiectasis. Sputum neutrophilia can occur in association with sputum eosinophilia and correlates with the degree of bronchiectasis. The mechanisms of sputum neutrophilia in ABPA are not known. The aim of this study was to investigate t...

BACKGROUND The sputum inflammatory cell profile is an important indicator for classifying asthma phenotypes. OBJECTIVE To investigate if sputum inflammatory cell profile remains stable and there are different characteristics between groups that show different profile over time in stable asthmatic patients. METHODS A total of 149 asthmatic patients, who were clinically stable at the time of ...

The inflammatory component of asthma is usually assessed indirectly by symptoms and spirometry, these may be inaccurate. It can now be assessed directly and reliably by the examination of sputum cell counts. There is no information on how clinical assessment of the presence and type of airway inflammation compares with actual measurements. In this single-centre observational study, sputum was c...

BACKGROUND Airway inflammation, with recruitment of neutrophils to the airway lumen, results in purulent secretions and a variety of potential adverse consequences for patients with chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis. We hypothesised that gradations of sputum colour would correlate directly with the myeloperoxidase content of sputum and with various other indicators of the activity and conse...

Lopez-Vidriero, M. T., Charman, J., Keal, E., de Silva, D. J., and Reid, L. (1973). Thorax, 28, 401-408. Sputum viscosity: correlation with chemical and clinical features in chronic bronchitis. A series of out-patient chronic bronchitics with severe airways obstruction was studied monthly over a five-month period from December 1970 to May 1971; volume, pourability, viscosity, and chemical const...

PURPOSE Using sputum neutrophils as the primary measure, and other inflammation biomarkers, this study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of the combination salmeterol 50 mcg and fluticasone propionate 250 mcg (SFC 250) in Japanese patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients were treated in a randomized, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-...

BACKGROUND Sputum induction by hypertonic saline solution inhalation is widely used to study airways secretions in patients with asthma. However, hypertonic saline solution is a potent indirect bronchoconstrictor. STUDY OBJECTIVES We studied the validity of isotonic saline solution (0.9%) inhalation as a means to induce sputum by comparing it to hypertonic saline solution (4.5%) inhalation. ...