Bronchial asthma and gastroesophageal reflux disease: view of the clinician and pathophysiologist

Abstract

Combination of bronchial asthma (BA) with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GRD) is now most prevalent among combined pathology of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. Interaction of these diseases is stated basing on clinical picture and pathogenetic aspects of BA development in the presence of GRD and GRD in the presence of BA. Development of combined affection of gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts occurs in secondary immunodeficiency. Main lines of the paradigm of macrophage phenotypes M1/M2 and mechanisms of alternative development of the immune response Th1/Th2 in combination of GRD with BA are presented. Investigation of macrophage functional activity and Th1/ Th2 balance gives ground for development of the method of macrophage phenotype reprogramming which is a promising approach to effective treatment of combined pathology of the respiratory tract and upper gastrointestinal tract including cases resistant to pharmacological treatment.

Keywords

• bronchial asthma
• gastroesophageal reflux disease
• th1/th2 immune disease
• macrophage functional activity
• macrophage m1/m2 phenotypes