adult asthma Flashcards
A heterogenous disease usually characterized by chronic airway inflammation
Asthma
Defined by history symptoms (wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and cough) that vary over time and in intensity together with variable expiratory airflow limitation
Asthma
Peak of age for asthma
3 years old
Airway narrows easily and too much in response to stimuli
Bronchial hyperresponsiveness
Major risk factor of asthma
Atopy
Factors that influence Asthma Development and Expression
Endogenous Factors
Environmental Factors
Hygiene hypothesis
Lack of early childhood exposure to infectious agents, symbiotic microbes and parasites increases susceptibility to allergic diseases
Preservation of TH2
Top 3 inddor allergens
House dust mite, cockroaches, animal allergens
Most common trigger of acute severe exacerbations
Upper respiratory tract viral infections
RSV rhinovirus, coronavirus
Drugs known to trigger asthma attacks
aspirin, beta blockers, coloring agents
Asthma pathogenesis
Sensitizers -> chronic inflammation (eosinophilic bronchitis) ->cough, dyspnea, wheezing
Th2 cytokines
IL-4, IL-5, IL-13: mediate allergic airway inflammation
Proinflammatory response in more severe asthma
TNF-a , IL-1B
Eosinophils are attracted by chemokine called_____ and is secreted by epithelial cells
Eotaxin
Cells that induces bronchospam
Mast cells
APC present allergens to T lymphocytes
dendritic cells
Airflow limitation in Asthma
Acute bronchospam
Swelling of the airway wall
Chronic Mucus plug formation
Airway remodeling
Gross pathology in asthma
Very red mucous
Distinct histological features of an asthmatic airway
Denuded mucosa/epithelial denudation Thickened BM/subepithelial fibrosis Wall/mucosa edema Hypertrophied and hyperplastic cells Inflammatory cells
Lung parenchyma become hyperinflated due to air trapping
Fatal hyperinflation
Main effect of fatal hyperinflation
Increase in carbon dioxide
Hyperinflation leads to:
Hypoventilation Respiratory acidosis Pneumothorax Hypotension Respiratory Failure
Airway Remodeling Components
Chronic epithelial injury Subepithelial fibrosis Smooth muscle hyperplasia Goblet cell hyperplasia Angiogenesis mucus gland hypertrophy
Airway smooth muscle mass is related to disease severity
Smooth muscle mass is higher in severe than in moderate or mild
Increased probability that symptoms are due to asthma if:
> 1 type of symptoms (Wheeze, shortness of breath, cough, chest tightness)
Often worse at night or in the early morning
Vary over time and in intensity
Often with identifiable triggers
Decreased probability that symptoms are due to asthma
Isolated cough with no other RS Chronic production of sputum Shortness of breath associated with diziness, lightedheadedness or peripheral tingling Chest pain Exercise-induced dyspnea