But it certainly is a completely different way of looking at asthma. Gaston is an associate professor of medicine in allergy, asthma, and immunology at the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville.
Severe asthma can result in death.
While current treatments are effective, the long-term use of steroids to reduce inflammation of airways can cause serious side effects. The new information provides clues as to why steroids work. The UVA researchers looked at 22 hospital patients who had been undergoing treatment for acute asthma for less than 48 hours, using steroid medications. Twelve of the patients' conditions had stabilized. Each was asked to breathe into a breathalyzer-like device.