Annual Congress Stockholm 2007

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PG15 - Difficult-to-treat asthma: dealing with smoker patients

Postgraduate Course
Chairs: C. Gratziou (Athens, Greece), R. Polosa (S. Gregorio, Italy)
Aims: The relationship between cigarette smoking and airway inflammation is well described, but relatively few data are available on the potential influence of smoking on chronic airway inflammation and its treatment. There is recent evidence that smoking may confer a degree of treatment resistance in asthma. In addition, there is some evidence that smoking cessation may at least partially restore corticosteroid and bronchodilator responsiveness in asthmatics. The specific aims of this course are:
• to provide an overview of airway pathology in smokers with asthma;
• to explain the influence of smoking on treatment response in patients with asthma;
• to describe new drugs under development that may show efficacy in this group of patients;
• to present the ERS recommendations on smoking cessation treatment in respiratory patients.

Cigarette smoking may modify inflammation associated with asthma G. Joos (Ghent, Belgium)
The influence of smoking on the treatment response in patients with asthma N. Thomson (Glasgow, United Kingdom)
Potential drugs to treat smokers with asthma I. M. Adcock (London, United Kingdom)
Recommendations for smoking cessation treatment in respiratory patients P. Tønnesen (Gentofte, Denmark)