Change of Bronchial Permeability in Patients with Bronchial Asthma

To evaluate the effect of damaged bronchial epithelium on epithelial permeability and physiologic changes of the airway in patients with bronchial asthma, we measured the concentration of protein and albumin in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), the width of intercellular junction and bronchial hyperreactivity in 22 patients with bronchial asthma and 21 healthy subjects. The results were as follows: 1) The concentration of protein in BALF from patients with bronchial asthma was higher when compared with that of normal subjects ( vs , p vs , p vs , p vs , p, was inversely correlated with the concentration of protein in BALF (r=-0.3030, p=0.038) in when observed in 18 patients with bronchial asthma and 19 normal subjects. 4) The width of intercellular junction was well inversely correlated with (r=-0.5006, p=0.002) when observed in 19 patients with bronchial asthma and 11 patients with normal subjects. In conclusion, increased permeability and the damage of bronchial epithelium may lead to change of bronchial hyperreactivity.