PG14 - Noninvasive monitoring of asthma inflammation and treatment

Postgraduate Course
Chairs: J. C. Virchow (Rostock, Germany), M. Tunon De Lara (Bordeaux, France)
Aims: The specific aims of this course are:
• to describe the effectiveness of different noninvasive diagnostic markers of inflammation in the monitoring of asthma and titration of anti-inflammatory treatment;
• to discuss advantages and limitations in the use of sputum, eNO and bronchoprovocation for evaluation of asthma severity, progression and treatment;
• to provide information on the inflammatory components investigated by sputum, eNO, exhaled breath condensate, direct and indirect bronchoprovocation;
• to introduce the concept that quality-of-life measurements can be more responsive to clinical changes than conventional clinical measures. Target audience: Allergists, primary care physicians, fellows-in-training, paediatricians, medical students, clinical research coordinators, internists and pulmonologists.

Induced sputum and airway inflammation in asthma and COPD P. J. Sterk (Leiden, The Netherlands)
Measuring exhaled NO and breath condensate: where do we stand? I. Horvath (Budakeszi, Hungary)
Role of airway responsivenes in asthma monitoring: new horizons R. Polosa (S. Gregorio (Ct), Italy)
Asthma questionnaires and diary cards: beyond functional monitoring E. Juniper (Bosham, United Kingdom)