Objective To explore the effects of Aspergillus fumigatus（A. fumigatus） spores on airway inflammation and responsiveness in asthmatic rats.Methods Seventy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into Ⅰ and Ⅱ groups（n=35 in each group），then Group Ⅰ and Group Ⅱ were subdivided into a normal control group（n=5），an asthma group（n=10），a spores-treated control group（n=10），and a spores-treated asthma group（n=10）.The rats were sensitized to ovalbumin（OVA） and challenged with aerosol OVA to establish the asthma model.The effects of A. fumigatus spores on asthmatic rats before and after OVA aerosol challenging were investigated in Group Ⅰ and Group Ⅱ，respectively.The parameters associated with bronchial epithelial damage were observed by total protein concentration in BALF measured by BCA method.Total and differential cell counts in BALF were also counted.The airway resistance and airway responsiveness were calculated by transpulmonary pressure and gas flow rate.Results In Group Ⅰ，the total protein in BALF in the asthma group treated with A. fumigatus spores before OVA challenging（Group CA） was increased remarkably compared to the asthma group（Group A1）[（1.125±0.254）μg/mL vs（0.825±0.173）μg/mL，Plt;0.01].The nonspecific airway resistances induced by different concentration of acetylcholine in Group CA ［（0.997±0.196）cm H2O•mL-1•s-1，（1.123±0.142）cm H2O•mL-1•s-1，（1.130±0.197）cm H2O•mL-1•s-1］were increased significantly compared to Group A1 [（0.655±0.089）cm H2O•mL-1•s-1，（0.687±0.048）cm H2O•mL-1•s-1，（0.821±0.043）cm H2O•mL-1•s-1]（all Plt;0.05）.In Group Ⅱ，however，the above parameters in the asthma group treated with A. fumigatus spores after OVA challenging（Group AC） were not dramatically increased compared with the asthma group（Group A2）（all Pgt;0.05）.The differences in the total and differential cell counts in BALF in Group CA were not remarkable compared to other subgroups in Group Ⅰ（all Pgt;0.05）.But the BALF neutrophil count in Group AC was increased obviously compared to Group A2 ［（2.488±0.420）×106 vs （0.936±0.459）×106，Plt;0.05］.Conclusion These data indicate that exposure to A. fumigatus spores before challenging causes aggravated epithelial damage and increased airway resistance in an asthma rat model.
Objective To investigate the effects of TiotropiumBromide on airway inflammation in a rat model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease( COPD) . Methods Thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups. Group A received normal breeding as normal control. Group B and group C received LPS( 200 μg, intratracheally injected at the 1st and the 14th day) and tobacco exposure( from the 2nd day to the 30th day except the 14th day) to establish COPD model. And group C received a nebulized dose of Tiotropium Bromide( 0. 12 mmol / L, 10 minutes) 30 minutes before the tobacco exposure each time. Airway resistance and compliance were measured before sacrificed. Histological examination was performed with Hematoxylin-Eosin staining. The concentrations of IL-8 and LTB4 , total and differential cells counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid( BALF) were examined, and the concentrations of IL-8 and LTB4 in blood serum were also examined by ELISA. Results Severe lung inflammation and decreased lung function were demonstrated in the rats in the group B compared with those in the group A. The inflammatory cell counts in BALF, and the levels of IL-8 and LTB4 in BALF and serum were significantly increased in the group B compared with those in the group A. Tiotropium Bromide administration improved the parameters above. Conclusions The results suggest that Tiotropium Bromide can alleviate the lung inflammation and improve the lung function in a rat COPD model. These effects may be exerted through reducing the mediators of inflammation.
Objective To explore the profile and diagnosis value of airway resistances before and after bronchial dilation test ( BDT) in patients with COPD and asthma. Methods Airway resistances before and after BDT were measured in COPD patients and asthma patients with different severity by impulse oscillometry ( IOS) , and the characteristic changes of the two different diseases were analyzed compared with healthy subjects. Results Airway resistance indexes except X5 were higher in the COPD and the asthma patients than those in the healthy subjects before BDT ( P lt; 0. 05) . There were significant differences in airway resistance indexes except X5 and Rc between the mild asthma patients and the moderate to severe asthma patients. Significant difference in Z5, Fres, and Rp were observed in the mild COPD patientscompared with the moderate to severe COPD patients. There were statistical differences in airway resistance indexes except X5 between the two groups before and after BDT both in the COPD and the asthma patients ( P lt;0. 05) . The rates of change in Z5, Fres, R5, and Rp were higher than those of FEV1% pred, especially higher in the asthma patients than in the COPD patients ( P lt; 0. 05) . Significant negative correlations between FEV1% pred and Z5, Fres, R5, Rp were revealed in the COPD and the asthma patients ( P lt;0. 01) .The correlation between Fres and FEV1% pred was most significant in the COPD and the asthma patients ( r = - 0. 561, - 0. 761) . Conclusion Airway resistances measured by IOS is sensitive indicators in detecting the airflow obstruction in COPD and asthma, and is useful in early and differential diagnosis of COPD and asthma.
Objective To explore the effect of leukotriene receptor antagonist montelukast on physicochemical property of sputum and airway mucus hypersecretion in patients with acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis. Methods Eighty-four inpatients with acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis were randomly divided into a control group and an experiment group, with 42 cases in each group. The control group received conventional therapy and the experiment group took orally montelukast 10 mg before sleep every day based on conventional therapy for two weeks. At admission and 15 days after admission, the amount in 24 hours, dry/wet weight ratio and viscosity of sputum were observed while the levels of neutrophil elastase (NE) and mucin MUC5ac in sputum were determined by ELISA. The pulmonary ventilation function, airway resistance and blood gas analysis were also measured. Results The sputum amount in 24 hours, dry/wet weight ratio and viscosity of sputum, NE and MUC5ac of sputum, pulmonary ventilation function, blood gas analysis and airway resistance were declined or improved remarkably after treatment compared with before treatment in two groups (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the sputum amount in 24 hours [(5.62±1.83) g vs. (7.53±2.32) g], NE [(3.85±0.97) μg/ml vs. (4.54±1.03) μg/ml], MUC5ac [(0.65±0.21) μg/ml vs. (0.82± 0.29) μg/ml] and the airway resistance [(119.16±11.76)% vs. (128.37±12.08)%] were declined remarkably in the experiment group compare with the control group after treatment (all P<0.05). The viscosity of sputum between the two groups after treatment showed no significant difference. Conclusion In patients with acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis, montelukast can reduce amount of sputum and airway resistance, reduce expression of mucin MUC5ac through down-regulation of NE, thus inhibit airway mucus hypersecretion.
Respiratory oscillometry is a lung function test that measures the mechanical properties of respiratory system by the forced oscillation technique. Oscillometry can be used in those who cannot perform traditional lung function tests, including young children. It is also an important tool to assess small airways function in clinical and research fields. In 2020, the European Respiratory Society published a new technical standard for respiratory oscillometry, which offered updated technical recommendations on the hardware, software, testing protocols and quality control of oscillometry measurements. This paper interpreted the new technical standard, for providing technical suggestions regarding oscillometry measurements in clinical and research settings, and as a reference for developing technical statements and recommendations for oscillometry in China.