Increased airway smooth muscle mass in children with asthma, cystic fibrosis, and non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis

Regamey, Nicolas; Ochs, Matthias; Hilliard, Tom N; Mühlfeld, Christian; Cornish, Nikki; Fleming, Louise; Saglani, Sejal; Alton, Eric W F W; Bush, Andrew; Jeffery, Peter K; Davies, Jane C (2008). Increased airway smooth muscle mass in children with asthma, cystic fibrosis, and non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 177(8), pp. 837-43. New York, N.Y.: American Lung Association 10.1164/rccm.200707-977OC

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RATIONALE: Structural alterations to airway smooth muscle (ASM) are a feature of asthma and cystic fibrosis (CF) in adults. OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether increase in ASM mass is already present in children with chronic inflammatory lung disease. METHODS: Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed in 78 children (median age [IQR], 11.3 [8.5-13.8] yr): 24 with asthma, 27 with CF, 16 with non-CF bronchiectasis (BX), and 11 control children without lower respiratory tract disease. Endobronchial biopsy ASM content and myocyte number and size were quantified using stereology. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The median (IQR) volume fraction of subepithelial tissue occupied by ASM was increased in the children with asthma (0.27 [0.12-0.49]; P < 0.0001), CF (0.12 [0.06-0.21]; P < 0.01), and BX (0.16 [0.04-0.21]; P < 0.01) compared with control subjects (0.04 [0.02-0.05]). ASM content was related to bronchodilator responsiveness in the asthmatic group (r = 0.66, P < 0.01). Median (IQR) myocyte number (cells per mm(2) of reticular basement membrane) was 8,204 (5,270-11,749; P < 0.05) in children with asthma, 4,504 (2,838-8,962; not significant) in children with CF, 4,971 (3,476-10,057; not significant) in children with BX, and 1,944 (1,596-6,318) in control subjects. Mean (SD) myocyte size (mum(3)) was 3,344 (801; P < 0.01) in children with asthma, 3,264 (809; P < 0.01) in children with CF, 3,177 (873; P < 0.05) in children with BX, and 1,927 (386) in control subjects. In all disease groups, the volume fraction of ASM in subepithelial tissue was related to myocyte number (asthma: r = 0.84, P < 0.001; CF: r = 0.81, P < 0.01; BX: r = 0.95, P < 0.001), but not to myocyte size. CONCLUSIONS: Increases in ASM (both number and size) occur in children with chronic inflammatory lung diseases that include CF, asthma, and BX.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Endocrinology (DFKE) > Clinic of Paediatric Medicine
04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Institute of Anatomy
04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Institute of Anatomy > Topographical and Clinical Anatomy

UniBE Contributor:

Regamey, Nicolas, Ochs, Matthias, Mühlfeld, Christian

ISSN:

1073-449X

ISBN:

18218992

Publisher:

American Lung Association

Language:

English

Submitter:

Anette van Dorland

Date Deposited:

04 Oct 2013 15:03

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:19

Publisher DOI:

10.1164/rccm.200707-977OC

PubMed ID:

18218992

Web of Science ID:

000255047800006

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/27238 (FactScience: 105118)

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