Mucus plugs in patients with asthma linked to eosinophilia and airflow obstruction.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The link between mucus plugs and airflow obstruction has not been established in chronic severe asthma, and the role of eosinophils and their products in mucus plug formation is unknown.

Methods

In clinical studies, we developed and applied a bronchopulmonary segment-based scoring system to quantify mucus plugs on multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) lung scans from 146 subjects with asthma and 22 controls, and analyzed relationships among mucus plug scores, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and airway eosinophils. Additionally, we used airway mucus gel models to explore whether oxidants generated by eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) oxidize cysteine thiol groups to promote mucus plug formation.

Results

Mucus plugs occurred in at least 1 of 20 lung

SUBMITTER: Dunican EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5824874 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature