Receptor-mediated airway smooth muscle (ASM) contraction via G(alphaq), and relaxation via G(alphas), underlie the bronchospastic features of asthma and its treatment. Asthma models show increased ASM G(alphai) expression, considered the basis for the proasthmatic phenotypes of enhanced bronchial hyperreactivity to contraction mediated by M(3)-muscarinic receptors and diminished relaxation medi...

Allergic asthma is characterized by airway inflammation in response to chronic allergen exposure, resulting in remodeling of the airway wall accompanied by dysfunctional airway physiology. However, a link between the immune-inflammatory response to allergen and changes to airway structure and physiology has not yet been fully elucidated. Moreover, the impact of inhaled corticosteroids and beta(...

UNLABELLED Bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) in sarcoidosis has been reported in 5 to 83% of patients, but the relationship between BHR and airway functional status being unclear. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence and degree of BHR in a group of pulmonary sarcoidosis patients and how BHR does relate to the functional status of airways. MATERIAL AND METHODS 56 consecutive sarcoid...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether the intensity of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) is correlated to other clinical data such as patient age at the onset of asthma, the serum IgE levels and familial genetic susceptibility, with the purpose of establishing a prognosis or phenotype. MATERIAL AND METHODS BHR was evaluated using the methacholine provocation test, with the patients divided into si...

Subclinical inflammation in gut mucosa has been demonstrated in bronchial asthma suggesting the whole mucosal system is involved in allergic diseases. The presence of subclinical bronchial involvement was assessed by nonspecific bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in nonasthmatic patients with food allergy (FA). BHR was studied in 35 patients with various manifestations of FA without food-induc...

The aim of the current study was to describe the incidence of respiratory symptoms and allergic sensitisation and the sequence of events leading to respiratory symptoms among Danish baker apprentices (BA). A total of 114 BA were surveyed over a 20-month period. Questionnaires were completed along with spirometric analysis and skin-prick tests to common and work-related allergens. Bronchial hype...

A group of 30 potroom workers who developed an asthma-like syndrome during their work in the electrolytic extraction of aluminium (Alu-Swiss process with prebacked anodes) was followed up after stopping exposure. Subjective respiratory complaints were registered and a non-specific bronchial reactivity test using methacholine was performed once or twice during the follow up period (1984-9). Afte...

To elicit the mechanism of bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) in chronic heart failure (CHF), a methacholine inhalation test, pulmonary function test, and cardiac catheterization were performed in 19 patients with mitral valve disease (MVD), and the change of severity of BHR before and after mitral valve replacement (MVR) was also examined in seven of 19 patients with MVD. Sixteen of 19 patients w...

Although heparin is used as an anticoagulant, its biologic function has remained unclear since the 1920s. Glycosaminoglycan heparin possesses multiple noncoagulant properties, including anti-inflammatory actions, and it is possible that heparin may inhibit airway hyperreactivity. Thus, the purpose of the present investigation was to study the effect of inhaled heparin on methacholine-induced br...