RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Non-eosinophilic asthma: importance and possible mechanisms
JF Thorax
JO Thorax
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Thoracic Society
SP 643
OP 648
DO 10.1136/thorax.57.7.643
VO 57
IS 7
A1 Douwes, J
A1 Gibson, P
A1 Pekkanen, J
A1 Pearce, N
YR 2002
UL http://thorax.bmj.com/content/57/7/643.abstract
AB There is increasing evidence that inflammatory mechanisms other than eosinophilic inflammation may be involved in producing the final common pathway of enhanced bronchial reactivity and reversible airflow obstruction that characterises asthma. A review of the literature has shown that, at most, only 50% of asthma cases are attributable to eosinophilic airway inflammation. It is hypothesised that a major proportion of asthma is based on neutrophilic airway inflammation, possibly triggered by environmental exposure to bacterial endotoxin, particulate air pollution, and ozone, as well as viral infections. If there are indeed two (or more) subtypes of asthma, and if non-eosinophilic (neutrophil mediated) asthma is relatively common, this would have major consequences for the treatment and prevention of asthma since most treatment and prevention strategies are now almost entirely focused on allergic/eosinophilic asthma and allergen avoidance measures, respectively. It is therefore important to study the aetiology of asthma further, including the underlying inflammatory profiles.