Airway inflammation patterns and clinical and functional features in patients with severe uncontrolled asthma and cold-induced airway hyperresponsiveness

The aim of this study was to investigate airway inflammation patterns and clinical and functional features of severe uncontrolled asthma.

Methods. The study involved 25 patients aged 45 to 55 years with severe uncontrolled asthma. Medical history was analyzed. Lung function tests, cytological and cytochemical investigation of induced sputum were performed in all patients. Asthma control was assessed using the Asthma Control Test questionnaire.

Results. The patients were divided into groups: with eosinophilic (> 2% of eosinophils; n = 11) or mixed (≥ 2% of eosinophils and ≥ 61% of neutrophils; n = 14) airway inflammation patterns according to induced sputum cytology. Oxidative function of leucocytes according to myeloper oxidase level in the cells and the degree of cytolysis were increased in the mixed inflammation group. More severe symptoms, more frequent asthma exacerbations, a tendency to worse asthma control and lower FEF50 and MEF25–75 were found in the mixed inflammation group. Coldinduced air way hyperresponsiveness was diagnosed in 12 patients of the mixed inflammation group and in 3 patients of the eosinophilic inflammation group. Severity of the disease, lung function abnormalities and coldinduced airway hyperresponsiveness in patients with severe uncontrolled asthma were related to the airway inflammation pattern.

Conclusion. The mixed inflammation pattern was associated to more severe asthma course and worse control of the disease.

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