Allergen bronchoprovocation and chitinases in allergic asthma

摘要

Allergen bronchoprovocation is one of the few interventions which can induce a controlled exacerbation of disease in a laboratory setting, and it has been invaluable as a research tool for investigation of upper and lower respiratory tract allergic diseases. Bronchial challenges can be administered by inhalation of an allergen extract as a high dose challenge on a single day, as low doses of allergen across several days, or as a segmental challenge where allergen is instilled directly in the airways by bronchoscopy. All of these challenges are well standardized and induce clinical expressions of asthma, including variable airway obstruction and airway hy-perresponsiveness, which are associated with airway inflammation and structural alterations in the airways.