Self-organized patchiness in asthma as a prelude to catastrophic shifts

Jose G. Venegas (), Tilo Winkler, Guido Musch, Marcos F. Vidal Melo, Dominick Layfield, Nora Tgavalekos, Alan J. Fischman, Ronald J. Callahan, Giacomo Bellani and R. Scott Harris
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Jose G. Venegas: Massachusetts General Hospital, Departments of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Radiology, and Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit)
Tilo Winkler: Massachusetts General Hospital, Departments of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Radiology, and Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit)
Guido Musch: Massachusetts General Hospital, Departments of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Radiology, and Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit)
Marcos F. Vidal Melo: Massachusetts General Hospital, Departments of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Radiology, and Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit)
Dominick Layfield: Massachusetts General Hospital, Departments of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Radiology, and Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit)
Nora Tgavalekos: Massachusetts General Hospital, Departments of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Radiology, and Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit)
Alan J. Fischman: Massachusetts General Hospital, Departments of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Radiology, and Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit)
Ronald J. Callahan: Massachusetts General Hospital, Departments of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Radiology, and Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit)
Giacomo Bellani: Massachusetts General Hospital, Departments of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Radiology, and Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit)
R. Scott Harris: Massachusetts General Hospital, Departments of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Radiology, and Medicine (Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit)

Nature, 2005, vol. 434, issue 7034, 777-782

Abstract: Plan of attack A better understanding of the of the physiological changes that occur during an asthma attack could have implications for the treatment of asthma, which is becoming increasingly prevalent in children throughout the world. A new study shows that during an attack, any obstruction in the larger passageway of the lung can trigger a devastating effect in rest of the airway tree. Venegas et al. used positron emission tomography images of lungs to track lung ventilation patterns in asthmatic patients. Self-organizing clusters of restricted passages reduced the airflow to smaller branches, making them more susceptible to collapse. These findings might help to explain why inhaled asthma drugs are not always effective.

Date: 2005
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DOI: 10.1038/nature03490

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