We measured markers of @entity32 in the blood and in the sputum induced by @entity4372 ( @entity4372 ) inhalation of 24 subjects with @entity7446 who were still exposed to high molecular weight compounds (HMWCs, n = 8) or to low molecular weight compounds (LMWCs, n = 16); all subjects were symptomatic and showed @entity2488 to @entity2710 at the time of study. Sputum cell counts were also measured in 14 normal subjects and in 24 subjects with @entity7446 with @entity565 severity similar to that of occupational asthmatics. Both occupational and non-occupational asthmatic subjects showed higher neutrophil percentages in @entity4372 -induced sputum than normal subjects, asthmatics with LMWC-induced @entity565 showing the highest values. Eosinophil percentages in @entity4372 -induced sputum were higher in non-occupational asthmatics and in asthmatics with HMWC-induced @entity565 than in normal subjects and in subjects with @entity7446 due to LMWCs. No difference in bronchial responsiveness, peak expiratory flow variability and serum @entity11153 ( @entity11153 ) levels were observed among the different @entity565 groups. Although sputum eosinophil percentages significantly correlated with blood eosinophil percentages, sputum allowed the detection of a higher number of subjects with @entity32 than blood. Serum @entity11153 levels were normal in most asthmatic subjects. A significant correlation between sputum eosinophil percentages and @entity2488 to @entity4372 was observed. Despite a similar degree of functional abnormalities, subjects with @entity565 due to LMWCs and still exposed to the occupational sensitizer showed a lower degree of @entity32 and a higher degree of @entity32 in the airways than subjects with @entity7446 due to HMWCs or non-occupational asthmatics. Furthermore, sputum eosinophil counts detect, better than blood indices, the degree of @entity32 in both occupational and @entity7446 .

Leukocyte counts in XXXX -induced sputum in subjects with @entity7446 .

@entity32 :: ('MESH:D007249', 'Disease') :: ['airway inflammation', 'neutrophilic inflammation', 'eosinophilic inflammation'] @entity2488 :: ('MESH:D001982', 'Disease') :: ['bronchial hyperresponsiveness'] @entity11153 :: ('6037', 'Gene') :: ['eosinophil cationic protein', 'ECP'] @entity565 :: ('MESH:D001249', 'Disease') :: ['asthma'] @entity7446 :: ('MESH:D059366', 'Disease') :: ['occupational asthma', 'non-occupational asthma'] @entity4372 :: ('MESH:D009122', 'Disease') :: ['HS', 'hypertonic saline'] @entity2710 :: ('MESH:D016210', 'Chemical') :: ['methacholine']
@entity4372 :: (MESH:D009122,Disease) :: ['hypertonic saline']
