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shared:pulm:asthma

Asthma

  • Chronic inflammatory disease of respiratory tree to various sensitizing stimuli resulting in reversible airway obstruction
  • Characterized by
    • Bronchial hyperresponsiveness
    • ?

Types

  • Allergic
    • Atopic
    • Extrinisic
    • Most common form
    • Triggered by inhaled antigens (dust mites, pollen, pet dander, mold)
    • Biologics
    • Immunologic based
  • Non-allergic (intrinisic)
    • non-atopic
    • intrinisic* 10% of asthmatics
    • triggered by factors not related to allergies
      • exercise
      • cold/dry allergic
      • smoke
      • viruses
      • stress/anxiety

Immunology

  • Main immunologic cells
    • Macrophages
    • Dendritic cells
  • Eosinophil
  • Immunity
    • Innate
    • Adaptive
      • Humoral (B cells)
        • Memory
        • Effector (plasma)
        • Antigen presenting cell
      • Cell-mediated (T cells)
        • T helper cells (CD4): mainly TH2
          • IL-4 and IL-13 (dupilumab)
            • indications
              • adults
              • moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (eczema)
          • IL-5 (mepolizumab, benralizumab, reslizumab)
            • indications
              • age 18 and above
              • severe persistent asthma, refractory to other treatment
              • eosinophilia, but not elevated IgE
            • side effects (OI: herpes zoster with mepolizumab)
          • IgE (omalizumab)
            • indications
              • age 12 and above
              • moderate to severe persistent asthma, refractory to other treatment
              • serum IgE elevated (dose by IgE and weight)
            • only administered in health care setting
            • possible anaphylaxis
        • Cytotic T-cells (CD8)

Diagnosis

  • Pattern of symptoms and response to therapy
  • Spirometry and/or PFTs + BD response (≥12%)
    • FEV1/FVC, FEV1, FVC
    • TLC, DLCO
  • Challenge testing
    • Exercised induced bronchoconstriction & chronic cough
      • Exercised
      • Cold air
      • Methacholine
  • Fraction of exhaled NO
    • High values of FENO in asthma that returns to normal after treatment with glucocorticoids
    • Eosinophilic inflammation in airways stimulates airway epithelial cells to produce NO
  • Sputum eosinophiles
    • Charcot leyden crystals
    • Curschmann's spirals

Treatment

  • Anti-inflammatory medications
    • Corticosteroids: PO, inhaled, IV, IM
  • Direct bronchodilators (short and long acting)
    • b2-agonists (increases cAMP): salbutamol, albuterol, levalbuterol
    • anti-cholinergics (M3 receptor in airway smooth muscle)
      • helpful/recommended in acute setting
      • ipratropium bromide
    • methylxanthines
      • theophylline
      • aminophylline (short acting)
    • ?
  • Mast-cell stabilizers
  • Leukotriene inhibitors
    • Zileuton (Zylfo): leukotriene synthesis inhibitor
    • Monteleukast (Singulair): leukotriene receptor antagonist
  • Combination medications
    • Dulera: mometasone furoate and formoterol fumarate
    • Symbicort: budesonide and formoterol fumarate
    • Advair: fluticasone and salmeterol
  • Bronchial thermoplasty: approved for severe persistent refractory asthma, intrinisic and extrinisic (but other options better for extrinsic)

Caution

  • aspirin
  • ACE inhibitor
  • permissive hypercapnia
shared/pulm/asthma.txt · Last modified: 2020/03/05 18:06 by 127.0.0.1