Romanian Medical Journal (Sep 2019)
ALLERGIC BRONCHIAL ASTHMA IN CHILDHOOD – NATURAL HISTORY, THE ROLE OF CHRONIC INFLAMMATION
Abstract
The inflammatory response in the airways of patients with asthma involves the interaction between the respiratory epithelium, the innate immune system and the adaptive immunity, which initiates and maintains the chronic inflammatory response. Environmental factors in interaction with local factors induce the production of proinflammatory mediators in the airway epithelium and then activate the proinflammatory cells. The pro-inflammatory cells infiltrate the lungs and release other mediators, which accentuate the inflammatory response at this level, thus achieving a vicious circle of inflammation. This process causes bronchoconstriction and epithelial injury, which results in airway remodeling.
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