New Nasal Swab May Detect Specific Asthma Subtype in Children: Study Reveals
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Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have developed a nasal swab test for kids that diagnoses specific asthma subtype, or endotype. The findings are published in JAMA
Traditionally, asthma has been classified into endotypes known as T2-high or T2-low based on the amount of T helper 2 inflammation present. More recently, T2-low has been split into two endotypes: T17-high, which has less T helper 2 inflammation and more T helper 17 inflammation, and low-low, which has low levels of both types of inflammation.
Precise diagnosis of endotype usually involves genetic analysis of a lung tissue sample taken by a procedure called a bronchoscopy, which is done under general anesthesia. For children, especially those with milder disease, it’s not feasible or ethical to perform this invasive procedure, so clinicians have had to rely on imperfect tools, including immune markers in the blood, lung function and whether or not they have allergies.
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