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Article in Japanese
Abstract
Topics Series Allergy, immunology and inflammation
Recent advance in inhaled corticosteroid treatment in asthma
Department of Medical Oncology and Immunology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences
ABSTRACT
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lower airways, and therefore anti-inflammatory treatment, especially inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), plays the central role in its chronic controller treatment. With the use of ICS, emergency visits, admission, and death resulting from acute asthma have been decreasing. Besides single-agent ICS, combination inhalers of ICS/long-acting β2-adrenergic agonists (LABA) are now available. Several aerosol inhalers and dry-powder inhalers are available for both ICS and ICS/LABA, and we must be familiar with the characteristics of each inhaler, including its merits and demerits, to gain therapeutic efficacy in each individual patient. The site of inflammation (central or peripheral airways) may be an important consideration in the future treatment of asthma.
KEYWORDS
Asthma Inhaled corticosteroids Small airways Dry-powder inhalers Aerosol inhalers
AJRS, 3(2): 162-169, 2014
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