Pro/Con: asthma is (not) an inflammatory disease
Symposium Chairs: R. Djukanovic (Southampton, United Kingdom), P. J. Sterk (Leiden, The Netherlands)
Aims: After this symposium the participant will:
• be able to weigh up the available evidence whether (or not) airway inflammation is really important in asthma pathogenesis;
• appreciate that steroids may (also) exert their benefits by altering gene transcription in cellular pathways that are unrelated to inflammation;
• recognize the opportunities, but also the limitations, of specifically targeting inflammation in asthma. Target audience: Clinical and basic scientists, pulmonologists, paediatricians, cell biologists, physiologists, pharmacologists, both in academia and industry.