The asthmatic response to the common cold is highly variable, and early characteristics that predict worsening of asthma control following a cold have not been identified. In this prospective multicentric cohort study of 413 adult subjects with asthma, the mini-Asthma Control Questionnaire (mini-ACQ) was used to quantify changes in asthma control and the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey-21 (WURSS-21) to measure cold severity. Univariate and multivariable models were used to examine demographic, physiological, serological and cold-related characteristics for their relationship to changes in asthma control following a cold. Clinically significant worsening of asthma control was observed following a cold (mean+/-SD increase in mini-ACQ score of 0.69+/-0.93). Univariate analysis demonstrated that season, centre location, cold duration and cold severity measurements were all associated with a change in asthma control. Multivariable analysis of the covariates available within the first 2 days of cold onset revealed that the day 2 and cumulative sum of day 1 and 2 WURSS-21 scores were significant predictors of the subsequent changes in asthma control. In asthmatic subjects, cold severity within the first 2 days can be used to predict subsequent changes in asthma control. This information may help clinicians prevent deterioration in asthma control following a cold.

To determine the effect of clarithromycin therapy in patients with asthma.

Corticosteroids are the first line of therapy for asthma. Whether they alter the progression of airway remodelling in asthma is, as yet, unknown. To determine whether corticosteroids could alter the fibroblast cell cycle the current authors studied the effect of dexamethasone on cultured airway fibroblasts obtained from nine mild-to-moderate, steroid-naïve asthmatics (forced expiratory volume in one second 78+/-4% predicted), and seven normal controls. Fibroblasts were cultured from endobronchial biopsies obtained via bronchoscopy. Cells were exposed to dexamethasone (10(-9)-10(-7) M) and studied at 72 h to determine differences in progression through the cell cycle. In asthmatic fibroblasts, dexamethasone, at concentrations of 10(-8)M and 10(-7)M, nearly doubled the number of cells in the S phase (17.8+/-3.0% and 18.4+/-3.1%, respectively) compared with untreated fibroblasts (10.3+/-1.4%). There was no significant effect in normal control fibroblasts. Dexamethasone induced hyperphosphorylation of the tumour suppressor, retinoblastoma (RB) in asthmatic fibroblasts; fibroblasts from normal controls had significantly less hyperphosphorylation of RB. No difference in protein expression of the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha between the two groups was detected. This study suggests that dexamethasone can stimulate G1-S phase cell cycle transition in human airway fibroblasts obtained from asthmatics. Whether this leads to enhanced airway remodelling in some individuals remains to be determined.

Although the airways of