Special Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) Supplement Highlighting Role of the Small Airways Available at Leading Respiratory Conference

Article Title

Key Highlights

• The Importance and

• The small airways play an important

Features of the Distal

role in the pathology of asthma

Airways in Children and

• Inflammation of small airways may

Adults (E. W. Gelfand and

exacerbate asthma, contribute to an

M. Kraft)

accelerated decline in lung function and

promote airway remodeling

• Anatomy, Pathology, and

• Airway inflammation and remodeling that

Physiology of the

characterize asthma occur in the small

Tracheobronchial Tree:

airways

Emphasis on the Distal

• Small airways are an important target

Airways (D. M. Hyde, Q.

for asthma therapy

Hamid and C. G. Irvin)

• Particle Size of

• HFA solution metered-dose inhalers,

Inhaled Corticosteroids:

such as QVAR® (beclomethasone

Does it Matter? (C.

dipropionate HFA) Inhalation Aerosol,

Leach, G. L. Colice and

produce small particles that are able to

A. Luskin)

reach and treat the large and small

airways

• Most inhaled medications do not reach

the small airways where many of the

pathological changes in asthma may occur

• Imaging of the Distal

• High-resolution CT imaging can

Airways (D. P. Tashkin

assess small airway role in asthma

and E. E. de Lange)

• Traditional diagnostic methods have not

adequately measured small airway function