Airway wall thickening has been assumed to cause airway hyperresponsiveness, but a protective effect against airway narrowing has also been suggested. We investigated the relationship between airway wall thickness as assessed by helical computed tomography and two components of airway responsiveness, airway sensitivity and reactivity, in @entity1 with stable @entity565 with (n = 23) and without (n = 22) inhaled @entity134 treatment. A cross-section of the apical bronchus of the right upper lobe was obtained. Airway wall area corrected by body surface area was measured as an index of wall thickness. Airway sensitivity and reactivity were measured by continuous inhalation of @entity2710 , on the basis of the @entity2710 respiratory resistance dose-response curve. The eosinophil count in sputum was determined in 16 @entity1 [ @entity134 group] and 14 @entity1 [ @entity134 (-) group]. In both groups of @entity1 , airway sensitivity was not related to airway reactivity. Airway sensitivity was related to eosinophil count [r = 0.57 in the @entity134 (+) group and r = 0.49 in the @entity134 (-) group], but not to airway wall thickness. In contrast, airway reactivity negatively correlated with airway wall thickness [r = -0.56 in the @entity134 (+) group and r = -0.55 in the @entity134 (-) group] but not with eosinophil count. Our results suggest that airway wall thickening attenuates airway reactivity in @entity1 with @entity565 . These findings may have important implications in pathophysiology and in the treatment of airway remodeling.

Relationship of airway wall thickness to airway sensitivity and airway reactivity in XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity565 :: ('MESH:D001249', 'Disease') :: ['asthma'] @entity2710 :: ('MESH:D016210', 'Chemical') :: ['methacholine'] @entity134 :: ('CHEBI:35341', 'Chemical') :: ['steroid (+)', 'steroid']
@entity565 :: (MESH:D001249,Disease) :: ['asthma']
