UK researchers have discovered a key element in the development of chronic asthma explaining why the structure and function of asthmatic airways are changed or ”remodelled” and how this contributes to chronic asthma.
Researchers from King’s College London and Imperial College London have published a new paper in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Remodelling occurs when the small airways in the lungs of people change gradually with time as their lungs respond to the presence of particles such as dust, pollen and mould in the air they breathe. These changes can also be compounded by viruses and bacteria.
Airway remodelling is apparent even in the lungs of young children with asthma, and can make the condition almost impossible to control. An important aspect of airway remodelling is changes to the muscle cells which line our airways. In people with asthma, these cells tend to multiply and become larger, increasing their ability to squeeze the airways and cause breathing difficulties. There is no known way of reversing airway remodelling once it has occurred.
Dr Elaine Vic…
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