Abstract

To the Editor: In their correspondence, Saglani et al1Saglani S. Bush A. Payne D.N. The difference between groups and individuals.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006; 117: 955Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (2) Google Scholar argue that our bronchial wall thickening (BWT) score is a poor predictor of reticular basement membrane (RBM) thickness. We did not intend to replace bronchial biopsy by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan to evaluate airway inflammation/remodeling. Our messages are that we need to develop noninvasive techniques to evaluate such abnormalities and that HRCT scan may be one of them. The relationship we found between biopsy and BWT score was not strong, and we wrote that “the corresponding coefficient of determination of the change in BWT score explained by change of RBM thickening was 11%.” This was probably related to a lack of power, and certainly we need more patients and more accuracy signs with new generations of computed tomography scan. Saglani et al1Saglani S. Bush A. Payne D.N. The difference between groups and individuals.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006; 117: 955Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (2) Google Scholar state that in the figure from our article, patients with the same BWT score may have different values for RBM. This is not surprising, because parameters contributing to BWT score are not limited to RBM thickness, and conversely, RBM thickening is not the only character of airway remodeling. The author's group has shown that even in children with severe asthma, RBM may be not thickened.2Payne D.N. Rogers A.V. Adelroth E. Bandi V. Guntupalli K.K. Bush A. et al.Early thickening of the reticular basement membrane in children with difficult asthma.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2003; 167: 78-82Crossref PubMed Scopus (430) Google Scholar We do not assume that BWT score on HRCT scan is a surrogate marker of RBM thickness, but it might be used as a noninvasive approach to examining airway structural changes. Again, we need to develop such procedures even if there is no extremely strong relationship.

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