not breathing well; diseased lungs - ? airway remodeling

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The following info comes from a 2004 article in the ls of

Clinical & Laboratory Science 34:138-142 (2004)

Pharmacological Treatment of Airway Remodeling: Inhaled

Corticosteroids or Antileukotrienes?

Graziano Riccioni, Carmine Di Ilio and Nicolantonio D'Orazio

Unit of Human Nutrition, Department of Biomedical Sciences,

D'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy

Chronic stable asthma is characterized by inflammation of the airway

wall, with abnormal accumulation of basophils, eosinophils,

lymphocytes, mast cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, and

myofibroblasts. Airway inflammation is not limited to severe asthma,

but is also found in mild and moderate asthma. .... The term " airway

remodeling " in bronchial asthma refers to structural changes that

occur in conjunction with, or because of, chronic airway

inflammation. Airway remodeling results in alterations in the airway

epithelium, lamina propria, and submucosa, leading to thickening of

the airway wall. Consequences of airway remodeling in asthma include

incompletely reversible airway narrowing, bronchial hyper-

responsiveness, airway edema, and mucus hypersecretion; these effects

may predispose subjects with asthma to exacerbations and even death

due to airway obstruction. To avoid this progression, it is important

to follow an adequate treatment aimed at interacting and modifying

the inflammatory process....