Small airways: an important but neglected target in the treatment of obstructive airway diseases
(2008) In Trends in Pharmacological Sciences 29(7). p.340-345- Abstract
- Changes in the structure and function of the small airways (<2 mm diameter) are now recognized to play a major role in airflow limitation in both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and severe asthma. Increased thickness of the small airway wall causes lumenal narrowing; which can be further occluded by mucus and/or inflammatory cell exudate. This leads to increased peripheral resistance, air trapping and shortness of breath on exertion. Studies in animal models and in subjects with COPD have suggested that oxidant-driven transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1 activation and subsequent increased airway wall collagen synthesis might be central to the changes in small airway structure. However, it remains difficult to measure... (More)
- Changes in the structure and function of the small airways (<2 mm diameter) are now recognized to play a major role in airflow limitation in both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and severe asthma. Increased thickness of the small airway wall causes lumenal narrowing; which can be further occluded by mucus and/or inflammatory cell exudate. This leads to increased peripheral resistance, air trapping and shortness of breath on exertion. Studies in animal models and in subjects with COPD have suggested that oxidant-driven transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1 activation and subsequent increased airway wall collagen synthesis might be central to the changes in small airway structure. However, it remains difficult to measure small airway function in patients, and delivery of inhaled drugs to peripheral airways has not yet been optimised. The increased understanding of the processes underlying the development of small airways disease should facilitate pharmacological intervention targeted at this hitherto neglected compartment. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1253833
- author
- Sturton, Graham ; Persson, Carl LU and Barnes, Peter J.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2008
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Trends in Pharmacological Sciences
- volume
- 29
- issue
- 7
- pages
- 340 - 345
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000257814700003
- scopus:45849093275
- pmid:18514920
- ISSN
- 0165-6147
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.tips.2008.04.003
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 19583f51-543d-4321-86f6-66139d4db983 (old id 1253833)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 13:23:03
- date last changed
- 2022-01-27 18:52:11
@article{19583f51-543d-4321-86f6-66139d4db983, abstract = {{Changes in the structure and function of the small airways (<2 mm diameter) are now recognized to play a major role in airflow limitation in both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and severe asthma. Increased thickness of the small airway wall causes lumenal narrowing; which can be further occluded by mucus and/or inflammatory cell exudate. This leads to increased peripheral resistance, air trapping and shortness of breath on exertion. Studies in animal models and in subjects with COPD have suggested that oxidant-driven transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1 activation and subsequent increased airway wall collagen synthesis might be central to the changes in small airway structure. However, it remains difficult to measure small airway function in patients, and delivery of inhaled drugs to peripheral airways has not yet been optimised. The increased understanding of the processes underlying the development of small airways disease should facilitate pharmacological intervention targeted at this hitherto neglected compartment.}}, author = {{Sturton, Graham and Persson, Carl and Barnes, Peter J.}}, issn = {{0165-6147}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{7}}, pages = {{340--345}}, publisher = {{Elsevier}}, series = {{Trends in Pharmacological Sciences}}, title = {{Small airways: an important but neglected target in the treatment of obstructive airway diseases}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tips.2008.04.003}}, doi = {{10.1016/j.tips.2008.04.003}}, volume = {{29}}, year = {{2008}}, }