Brightling C E, Pavord I D
Department of Respiratory Medicine and Thoracic Surgery, Institute of Lung Health, Leicester, UK.
Ann Med. 2000 Oct;32(7):446-51. doi: 10.3109/07853890009002019.
The recent development of noninvasive techniques to measure airway inflammation has led to the recognition of eosinophilic bronchitis, a condition characterized by a sputum eosinophilia identical to that seen in asthma, but without any of the functional abnormalities associated with asthma. The condition is interesting for a number of reasons. Firstly, eosinophilic bronchitis is a common cause of chronic cough, which is important to recognize as it responds well to corticosteroids. However, recognition is not straightforward because it requires assessment of airway inflammation. Secondly, the natural history of eosinophilic bronchitis is uncertain. Some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease without a history of previous asthma have sputum eosinophilia, thus one possibility is that eosinophilic bronchitis may develop into fixed airflow obstruction. Finally, the difference in the association of eosinophilic airway inflammation to airway dysfunction between eosinophilic bronchitis and asthma is of interest as it is possible that it reflects important differences in the nature or site of the airway inflammation. Further study of this interesting condition may shed light on the relationship between airway inflammation and airway responsiveness, leading to a greater understanding of both eosinophilic bronchitis and asthma.
测量气道炎症的无创技术的最新进展，使得人们认识到了嗜酸性粒细胞性支气管炎，这是一种以痰液嗜酸性粒细胞增多为特征的疾病，与哮喘患者所见的情况相同，但没有任何与哮喘相关的功能异常。这种疾病因其多种原因而备受关注。首先，嗜酸性粒细胞性支气管炎是慢性咳嗽的常见病因，认识到这一点很重要，因为它对皮质类固醇治疗反应良好。然而，识别并不简单，因为它需要评估气道炎症。其次，嗜酸性粒细胞性支气管炎的自然病程尚不确定。一些没有既往哮喘病史的慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者有痰液嗜酸性粒细胞增多，因此一种可能性是嗜酸性粒细胞性支气管炎可能发展为固定性气流受限。最后，嗜酸性粒细胞性支气管炎和哮喘之间，嗜酸性气道炎症与气道功能障碍的关联差异很有意思，因为这可能反映了气道炎症的性质或部位的重要差异。对这种有趣疾病的进一步研究，可能会揭示气道炎症与气道反应性之间的关系，从而加深对嗜酸性粒细胞性支气管炎和哮喘的理解。
