Author/Editor		Popov, Todor A
Title		Assessing of inflammation in asthma
Translated title		Ocenjevanje vnetja pri astmi
Type		članek
Source		Med Razgl
Vol. and No.		Letnik 43, št. Suppl 5
Publication year		2004
Volume		str. 103-7
Language		eng
Abstract		The concept that airway inflammation is a hallmark of asthma came as a result of studies employing bronchoscopy. Further progress in deciphering of the pathologic mechanisms of this and other lung diseases required the development of non-invasive techniques to study it. Among these the induction and examination of sputum was most extensively applied and enabled researchers to explore cellular and fluid phase airway components in detail. More recent approaches include the measurement of exhaled gases (nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, ethane) and a wide range of non-volatile substances in breath condensate. However, evidence of the diagnostic utility of these techniques and the markers they measure in individual patients is still scarce. This prevents the large scale introduction of the novel non-invasive methods in the routine clinical practice. However, their use for research purposes improves our understanding of the disease processes in asthma and other lung diseases, promising more appropriate, customized therapy in the future.
Summary		Koncept o astmi kot vnetni bolezni je nastal kot posledica uporabe bronhoskopskih tehnik. Za napredek v opredelitvi patogeneze astme in drugih vnetnih bolezni je bilo treba razviti neinvezivne metode za preiskavo vnetja v dihalnih poteh. Najširše se uporablja pregled induciranega sputuma. Uporablja se za preiskave celic in topnih posrednikov vnetja. Novejša metoda je preučevanje izdihanega zraka (dušikov oksid, ogljikov monoksid, etan) in številnih nehlapnih snovi v kondenzatu izdihanega zraka. Dokazi o diagnostični vrednosti teh tehnik pa so še šibki. Zato teh metod v klinični praksi še ne uporabljamo na široko. Pač pa te metode omogočijo izvedbo številnih znanstvenih raziskav, s katerimi izboljšamo poznavanje bolezenskih procesov astme in drugih pljučnih bolezni ter njihovo zdravljenje.
Descriptors		ASTHMA INFLAMMATION SPUTUM BREATH TESTS