AN EXPLANATION OF THE ASTHMA PARADOX

The morbidity and mortality associated with asthma are rising, despite increased usage of anti-asthma medications. This report attempts to p rovide a plausible hypothesis for the ''asthma paradox.'' The hypothes is involves the role of mast cell degranulation as an endogenous anti- inflammatory mechanism to prevent antigens from entering the lower air ways and to limit the extent of the subsequent repair process. By trea ting symptoms of asthma with drugs such as beta2 agonists that inhibit mast cell degranulation, increased inflammation is allowed to occur, which may lead to the chronic appearance of excess repair tissue and t he acceleration of the disease process.