MARKERS fOR MONITORINS AIRW'AY' ,... . YINFLAMMATION AND RESPONSE TO T'R.EAT'MENT IN A.STH.M. A.TIC PJA.TIENT'S,

Abstract

Bronchi al asthma is a chroni c inflanunatory disorder characteri zed by an eosino philic inflammatory i nfiltrate.T-lymphocytes and eosinophils pl ay a pi votal rol e in the pathophysiology of astluna and m ediators fro m

those inflammatory cell s orchestrate the local immune response.

(4 2 )

Since the international spirometry tests and clinical data diaries included in the international guidelines for diagnosis and control of asthma are not a direct meas unnent of airway inflmrunation thus,there is a need for a procedure that would imploy repeated non in vasive anal ysis of cells and mediators in airway lining fluid from astlunatic subjects to assess the intensity of airway inflanunation and adjust treatment.