What is it about?
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a gas with a malodorous smell is recently known to be produced from human body. H2S is considered to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in the lung. We have shown for the first time that sputum H2S levels were higher and serum H2S levels were lower in astmatics with exacerbation than in stable asthmatics and healthy subjects. Additionally, this difference can predict future risks of asthma exacerbation. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between sputum H2S and sputum neutrophils.
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Why is it important?
Our findings show that H2S may provide useful information on predicting future risks of asthma exacerbation, as well as on obstructive neutropilic asthma,indicating to be one of the surrogate biomarkers of severe refractory asthma.
Perspectives
I hope this article may provide useful information on severe asthma research. In the future I am expecting that hydrogen sulfide in the exhaled air will be developed and can be measured as a simple, non-invasive and useful marker of predicting severe asthma as well as asthma exacerbation.
Junpei Saito
Fukushima Medical University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Sputum-to-serum hydrogen sulphide ratio as a novel biomarker of predicting future risks of asthma exacerbation, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, June 2018, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1111/cea.13173.
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