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Small airways: an important but neglected target in the treatment of obstructive airway diseases

Sturton, Graham ; Persson, Carl LU and Barnes, Peter J. (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)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
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 (&lt;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}},
}