The Editors' Choice

Abstract

Who are the responders to leukotriene modifier therapy?Are alveolar macrophages relevant in children with poorly controlled asthma?Representative images of AM internalization of S aureus (green particles).View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)Asthma exacerbations during pregnancy increase the risk of congenital malformationsAsthma is one of the most common chronic conditions during pregnancy. Uncontrolled maternal asthma during pregnancy has been thought by some to be a cause of congenital malformations, though there are few published studies on this topic. Blais et al (p 1379) reconstructed a cohort of 4344 pregnancies in asthmatic women and the children born of them from the linkage of health care and pharmacy records to study the association between moderate to severe asthma exacerbations during the first trimester of pregnancy and the risk of congenital malformations. They found that women who had an asthma exacerbation (a filled prescription of oral corticosteroids, an emergency department visit, or a hospitalization for asthma) during the first trimester of their pregnancies were at a 48% (95% CI, 1.04-2.09) greater risk of having a child born with a congenital malformation. These findings emphasize the necessity to keep asthma under control during pregnancy and the importance of continued controller therapy for pregnant asthmatic women to reduce this risk. Recent research reassures about the safety of low to moderate doses of inhaled corticosteroids during pregnancy, and health professionals should encourage pregnant asthmatic women to continue their recommended doses once they know they are pregnant.A BAFFability: Mechanism of B-cell responses in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polypsBAFF expression in nasal polyps from a patient with CRSwNP.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)Gene modifications inhibit ADAM33 production in bronchial epithelial cellsChemical demethylation (5-aza-dC treatment) induces ADAM33 expression in epithelial cells.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)Finally … Unravelling a function for a disintegrin and metalloprotease 33Proteolytically active (A33Pro-MP) but not inactive (A33Pro-MPE346A) ADAM33 induces angiogenesis.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT) Who are the responders to leukotriene modifier therapy? Are alveolar macrophages relevant in children with poorly controlled asthma? Asthma exacerbations during pregnancy increase the risk of congenital malformationsAsthma is one of the most common chronic conditions during pregnancy. Uncontrolled maternal asthma during pregnancy has been thought by some to be a cause of congenital malformations, though there are few published studies on this topic. Blais et al (p 1379) reconstructed a cohort of 4344 pregnancies in asthmatic women and the children born of them from the linkage of health care and pharmacy records to study the association between moderate to severe asthma exacerbations during the first trimester of pregnancy and the risk of congenital malformations. They found that women who had an asthma exacerbation (a filled prescription of oral corticosteroids, an emergency department visit, or a hospitalization for asthma) during the first trimester of their pregnancies were at a 48% (95% CI, 1.04-2.09) greater risk of having a child born with a congenital malformation. These findings emphasize the necessity to keep asthma under control during pregnancy and the importance of continued controller therapy for pregnant asthmatic women to reduce this risk. Recent research reassures about the safety of low to moderate doses of inhaled corticosteroids during pregnancy, and health professionals should encourage pregnant asthmatic women to continue their recommended doses once they know they are pregnant. Asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions during pregnancy. Uncontrolled maternal asthma during pregnancy has been thought by some to be a cause of congenital malformations, though there are few published studies on this topic. Blais et al (p 1379) reconstructed a cohort of 4344 pregnancies in asthmatic women and the children born of them from the linkage of health care and pharmacy records to study the association between moderate to severe asthma exacerbations during the first trimester of pregnancy and the risk of congenital malformations. They found that women who had an asthma exacerbation (a filled prescription of oral corticosteroids, an emergency department visit, or a hospitalization for asthma) during the first trimester of their pregnancies were at a 48% (95% CI, 1.04-2.09) greater risk of having a child born with a congenital malformation. These findings emphasize the necessity to keep asthma under control during pregnancy and the importance of continued controller therapy for pregnant asthmatic women to reduce this risk. Recent research reassures about the safety of low to moderate doses of inhaled corticosteroids during pregnancy, and health professionals should encourage pregnant asthmatic women to continue their recommended doses once they know they are pregnant. A BAFFability: Mechanism of B-cell responses in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps Gene modifications inhibit ADAM33 production in bronchial epithelial cells Finally … Unravelling a function for a disintegrin and metalloprotease 33