Comparison between nasal and bronchial inflammation in asthmatic and control subjects

Although asthma and rhinitis often coexist, it is still unknown whether the y are characterized by a similar inflammatory profile. We studied eosinophi lic infiltration, epithelial shedding and reticular basement membrane thick ness in nasal and bronchial biopsies of six control subjects, 15 untreated allergic asthmatics with perennial rhinitis, and six corticosteroid-depende nt (CSD) asthmatics. In nasal and branchial biopsies, eosinophils were grea ter in untreated asthmatics than in control subjects and CSD asthmatics (p = 0.001). In untreated asthmatics, eosinophils were higher in bronchial tha n in nasal biopsies (p = 0.002). in nasal and bronchial biopsies, reticular basement membrane thickness was greater in untreated and CSD asthmatics th an in control subjects (nasal: p < 0.008 and p < 0.004; bronchial: p < 0.00 1 and p < 0.008). In untreated and CSD asthmatics, reticular basement membr ane thickness was greater in bronchial than in nasal biopsies (p = 0.001; W ilcoxon's W test). Nasal epithelium was not shed in all the study groups. I n untreated asthmatics, bronchial epithelium shedding was greater than in c ontrol subjects or CSD asthmatics (p < 0.005), and it was greater than nasa l epithelium shedding (p < 0.006). This study has shown that, although conc omitant, the extent of eosinophilic inflammation of reticular basement memb rane thickness and of the epithelium shedding is greater in bronchial than in nasal mucosa of asthmatic patients with perennial rhinitis.