Understanding Asthma for New Treatment Potential

Scientists from King's College London and Imperial College London believe that they have discovered a key element in the development of chronic asthma. Their research explains why the structure and function of asthmatic airways are changed or ''remodelled'' and how this contributes to chronic asthma.

Remodelling occurs when the small airways in the lungs of people change gradually with time as their lungs respond to the presence of particles such as dust, pollen and mould in the air they breathe. These changes can also be compounded by viruses and bacteria.

Airway remodelling is apparent even in the lungs of young children with asthma, and can make the condition almost impossible to control. An important aspect of airway remodelling is changes to the muscle cells which line airways. In people with asthma, these cells tend to multiply and become larger, increasing their ability to squeeze the airways and cause breathing difficulties. There is no known way of reversing airway remodelling once it has occurred.