Annual Congress Stockholm 2007

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PG24 - GRACE full-day course. From cough to asthma: the role of infection

Postgraduate Course
Chairs: R. Cosentini (Milan, Italy), F. Blasi (Milan, Italy)
Aims: The aim of the course is to update the participants on the role of infections and asthma. All sessions will be interactive, starting from a clinical case presentation. The involvement of micro-organisms in the pathogenesis of asthma in terms of possible promoter or modulator of the disease will be addressed. The role of emerging as well as established drivers of infection in the pathophysiology and its implications for diagnosis and management in the context of adult lower respiratory tract infections and asthma will be discussed. At the end of the course, participants will be able to:
• understand the role of infections in terms of pathogenesis and clinical expression;
• understand the influence of micro-organisms on natural history and exacerbation of asthma;
• approach the management of infections in asthma in terms of indications and benefits of anti-inflammatory, inflammatory and antibiotic treatment.

The role of infections in the induction of asthma: genetic and inflammatory drivers A. Bush (London, United Kingdom)
The evidence for a microbiological role as triggers of exacerbations and modifiers of the natural history of asthma M. Mikelsaar (Tartu, Estonia)
Linking pathophysiology of lower respiratory tract infections with clinical expression A. Papi (Ferrara, Italy)
Acute and chronic cough syndromes differential diagnosis: infections or not? L. Mc Garvey (Belfast, United Kingdom)
The role of virus infections in asthma: immune responses and future possibilities P. Openshaw (London, United Kingdom)
Clinical management: recommended practice including the place of antibiotics F. Blasi (Milan, Italy)
Asthma guidelines in relation to infections: a critical analysis J. Wildhaber (Fribourg, Switzerland)