Asthma

Pathophysiology

1) chronic recurrent bronchospasm of airway with resulting airflow obstruction caused by heightened bronchial responsiveness to stimuli 2) inciting factors are allergens (most common), exercise, cold, drugs, infectious agents, industrial agents, and emotional stress

Signs and Symptoms

1) wheezing 2) cough 3) dyspnea 4) tachypnea 5) chest tightness 6) prolonged expiration

Characteristic Test Findings

Laboratory – 1) increased eosinophils 2) increased histamine 3) increased thromboxane A2, bradykinin, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins 4) hypoxia 5) hypercapnia (increased CO2 in blood)

Histology/Gross Pathology

1) Curschmann’s spirals (mucous casts of airways with shed epithelial cells) 2) Charcot-Leyden crystals (needle-like cyrstals in mucous-containing eosinophil membrane protein) 3) creola bodies (clumped epithelial cells) 4) hypertrophy of bronchial smooth muscle 5) hyperplastic mucous glands 6) thickened basement membrane

Associated Conditions

Allergens – 1) dust mites 2) cockroach feces 3) pollens 4) animal hair and fur 5) secondhand smoke