Asthma Flashcards
what is asthma (definition)
recurrent and reversible (in short term) obstruction to the airways in response to substance or stimuli
chronic inflammatory disorder
3 characteristics of asthma
airflow limitation
airway (bronchial hyper-responsiveness)
bronchial inflammation
what is airflow limitation
reversible spontaneously or with treatment
reversible airway obstruction - constriction
how is airflow limitation measured
lung function test
how does bronchial hyper responsiveness contribute to asthma
increased airway sensitivity = twitchy smooth muslce
what is bronchial hyperresponsiveness due to
epithelial damage exposes sensory nerve endings
c-fibres
irritant receptors
what does bronchial hyperresponsivenss lead to
neurogenic inflammation - sensory nerve endings release peptides
what is the most important factor leading to asthma
bronchial hyperresponsiveness
what cells cause bronchial inflammation
T cells + mast cless
EUSINOPHILIA
what causes asthma
allergens (atopic) fungal atmospheric pollutants drugs genetic factors occupational sensitisers cold dry air + exercise emotion resp infections
give an example of an allergen that causes asthma
house dust mites
what happens during in immediate asthma attack in the early reaction
airflow limitation
max 15-20mins
1 hour subsides
why is a prolonged sustained asthma attack after the early reaction more dangerous
doesn’t respond well to inhalation of bronchodilator eg. salbutamol
what reaction occurs after occupational sensitisers inhalation (eg. isocyanates) in asthmatics
isolate late-phase reactions (no preceding immediate response)
BHR increases
what is the hygiene hypothesis
growing up in clean environment predisposes IgE response to allergens
growing up in dirtier environment allows immune response to avoid allergic response
Pathogens stimulate TLRs on immune/epithelial cells to direct an immune inflammatory response away from allergic TH2 towards protective TH1
give an example of a fugal that causes asthma
aspergillus fumigates
INTRINSIC
increases sensitivity
give examples of atmospheric pollutants that cause asthma
SO2
tobacco smoke
perfumes
what drugs can trigger an asthma attack
NSAIDS
B-adrenoceptor antagonists (beta blockers)
how do NSAIDS trigger an asthma attack in affected individuals
aspirin-intolerated asthma
reduced PGE2
causes overproduction of cysteine leukotrienes by eusinophils, mast cells and macrophages
what can partially reverse an asthma attack caused by NSAIDS
anti-leukotrine therapy
list 3 (NSAID) drugs that can induce asthma
asprin
propionic acid derivatives =
indomethacin
ibuprofen
what percentage of asthma does NSAIDS cause
trigger 5%
what type of people is NSAID intolerance common in
people with nasal polyps
how do NSAIDS cause asthma in some people
inhibit arachidonic acid metabolism via cycle-oxigenase (COX) pathway
preventing synthesis of PGs
how do beta-blockers trigger the onset of asthma in some individuals
parasympathetic NS causes bronchoconstricition in ASM
no direct sympathetic innervation of ASM and antagonists
what do asthmatics develop after exercising in cold dry air
exercise wheeze
release of histamine, PGs and LTs from mast cells + stimulation of neural reflexes when epithelial lining of bronchi becomes hyperosmolar due to dry, cold air
what test can be performed after asthmatics exercise in cold dry air
hypertonic (saline/mannitol) provocation test after exercise
give an example of occupational sensitisers that induce asthma in some individuals
isocyanates
acid anhydrides
high molecular weight compounds - flour, dust = IgE antibody reaction
how do occupational sensitisers cause asthma
chemicals bond to epithelial cells activating them and provide haptens recognised by T cells
beta-blockers should/should not be used to treat hypertension or angina in asthmatics
SHOULD NOT
how does adrenaline cause bronchodilation
it is an antagonist of parasympathetic receptors
it acts on B2 receptors on ASM
how do beta-blockers eg. propranolol trigger an asthma attack
they inhibit B2 adrenoceptors preventing andrenaline from binding causing bronchoconstriction
what are the 2 types of beta blocker
B2 adrenoceptor blockers eg. propranolol
selective B1 adrenergic blockers eg. atenolol
what respiratory infections can cause asthma
viral inactions eg. rhinovirus, parainfluenza and RSV
are viral infections an intrinsic or extrinsic cause of asthma
EXTRINSIC
what are the extrinsic causes of asthma
external environmental factors
Allergens - IgE response
Chemicals in workplace
extrinsic causes of asthma are more common in children/adults
CHILDREN
what is intrinsic causes of asthma
no external cause identified adult onset asthma non-atopic aspergillus fumigatus due to extrinsic causes
what does NSAIDS stand for
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
what extrinsic causes cause intrinsic asthama
sensitisation due to occupational agents (toluene isocyanate)
NSAIDS
b-adrenoceptor blocking agens
what is hay fever an example of
atopic asthma
usually runs in families
what happens during an acute asthma response (4 stages)
- airway narrowing, impeded airflow (reversible)
- airway hyper responsiveness + airway spasms = bronchoconstriction
- increased mucosal inflammation + recruitment of inflammatory cells (eosinophils, mast cells, neutrophils, T lymphocytes)
- hyper secretion of mucus = mucus plugs
what causes chronic asthma
long standing inflammation in bronchioles
what happens as a result of chronic asthma
changes in bronchioles
what happens as a result of long standing bronchial inflammation resulting in increased bronchial constriction
plasma exudation
accumulation of interstitial fluid = oedema
increased smooth muscle mass = hypertrophy + hyperplasia
matrix desposition
sub-epithelial fibrosis
increased mucus = mucus plugging
epithelial damage - sensory nerve endings exposed
how does exposure of sensory nerve endings increase bronchoconstriction
feed forward effect, inhaled allergens have direct access to blood and tissue causing more inflammation
chronic asthma results in decreased/increased FEV1 + PEFR
decreased
why is chronic asthma worse than acute asthma
IRREVERSIBLE airflow limitation due to inflammation
what happens to the airways as a result of chronic asthma
airway remodelling = excess narrowing & swelling outside the smooth muscle layer
what changes in the epithelium causes airway remodelling due to chronic asthma
conducting airway epithelium is stressed/damaged with loss of ciliated columnar cells
metaplasia - increased mucus-secreting goblet cells
lots of mediators
epithelium becomes hyperresponsive = increased sensitivity to bronchoconstrictors, more vulnerable to viruses
how does changes in the epithelium basement membrane cause airway remodelling
increased desposition of repair collagens + proteoglycans in laminal reticlaris beneath basement membrane
increased disposition of lamina, tenascin + fibronectin
increased disposition of matrix proteins
THICKENED BASEMENT MEMBRANE
what does collagen despostitions cause
activation of underlying fibroblast sheath
contractile myofibroblasts
how does changes to airway smooth muscle cause airway remodelling in chronic ashtma
hypertrophy
hyperplasia of helical bands of ASM
bands contract more easily, stay contracted due to change in actin-myosin cross-link cyclin
asthmatic airways contract too much and too easily
how do nerves cause airway remodelling
nerve reflexes cause airway irritability
4 factors that cause a change in the airways in asthmatics
- increased smooth muscle mass
- accumulation of interstitial fluid
- increased mucus secretion
- epithelial damage
in asthma what drives mild/moderate inflammation
Th-2 lymphocytes
what do Th-2 cells facillitate
produce IL-4 = IgE synthesis
produce IL-5 = eosinophilic inflammation
what drives sever/chronic asthma
loss of sensitivity to corticosteroids
Th1 + Th 2 response
what does a Th1 response do
Th1 cells release mediators eg. TNF-a
causes tissue damage, mucus metaplasia, aberrant epithelial + mesenchymal repair
where are mast cells increased in asthma inflammatory response
epithelium
smooth muscle
mucous glands
what mediators to mast cells release in the immediate asthma reation
histamine
tryptase
PGD2
cysteine leukotrines
what do mediators from mast cells act on
ASM
blood vessels
mucous secreting cells
sensory nerves
what do mast cells release in the late asthma response and in chronic asthma
cytokine
chemokines
growth factors
what are mast cells inhibited by
sodium cromoglycate
B2 agonsits
where is there large numbers of eosinophils in asthma
bronchial wall + secretions
what triggers eosinophilic recruitment of the airways
cytokines: IL-3, IL-5, GM-CSF
chemokine: act on type 3 C-C chemokine recepors (CCR-3)
what is the role of mediators
prime eosinophils for enhanced mediator secretions
what do activated eosinophils release
LTC4, MBP, ECP, EPX (all toxic to epithelia cells)
what effect does corticosteroids have on eosinophils
they decrease the number and activation of eosinophils
where is there lots of dendritic cells and lymphocytes in asthma response
in mucous membranes of airways and alveoli
what is the role of dendritic cells + lymphocytes in an asthma reaction
uptake of allergens
CD4+ cells show evidence of activation
what cytokines released by dendritic cells + lymphocytes cause migration and activation of mast cells
IL-3, IL-4, IL-9, IL-13
what cytokines released by dendritic cells + lymphocytes cause migration and activation of eosinophils
IL-3, Il-5, GM-CSF
what cytokine maintain pro allergic TH2
IL-3, IL-4
describe the helper T cell response during an immune response in atopic and nonatopic individuals
atopic: strong TH2 response
non-atopic: low-level TH1 response
what type of inflammatory response occurs in atopic and non-atopic
atopic: antibody mediated
non-atopic: cell-mediated
what antibodies and inflammatory cells are involved in atopic and non-atopic responses
atopic: IgE
non-atopic: IgG + macrophages
individuals who readily produce IgE to common antigens are more/less prone to allergic asthma
MORE
what type of reaction is an allergic asthma reaction
TYPE 1 Hypersensitivity reaction
caused by antigen/IgE induced mast cell degranulation
what do mast cells release in an allergic asthma reaction
spasmogens
histamine
leukotrienes (LTC4 + LTD+4)
chemotaxis + chemokine (prostaglandins D2 + platelet activating factors)
what do spasmogens + histamine + leukotrienes cause
increased mucus product. and therefore bronchoconstriction
what happens during the late asthma response
chmokines + chemotaxis infiltrate mast cells + Th2 lymphocytes
stimulating resale of cytokines which attracts eosinophils and neutrophils to area
causing: epithelial damage, airway limitation, hyper-reactivity, bronchospasm, wheeze, cough
what happens if inflammation in late reaction isn’t treated
collagen lays down
fibrosis
formation of scar tissue
DOES NOT RESPOND TO BRONCHODILATORS
what treatment should be given if there is no bronchodilator response due to fibrosis and collagen deposition
CORTICOSTEROIDS
in an early asthma attack what occurs during the early (immediate phase)
alveolar hyperventilation increased resp drive decreased PaO2 decreased PaCO2 Bronchoconstriction normally subsides in 2 hours
in the late phase asthma attack what occurs
alveolar hypoventilation decreased resp drive decreased PaO2 Increased PaCO2 hypercapnic drive = high conc of O2 (60%) mechanical venitaltion
what is asthmaticus
acute severe asthma = medical emergency
who gets asthma
5-10% industrialised countries childhood (3-5) more common in UK, Australia, NZ less common in Far East + africa Genetics + Environment
what symptoms do asthmatics present with
episodic: intermittent attacks of bronchoconstriction
- tight chest
- wheezing (increased resistance + turbulence)
- creating difficulty (worse night + morning)
cough (worse at night)