- NHLBI/NIH (1993, 1995, 1997) defines asthma as a:
- Chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways in which many cells play a role, in particular, mast cells, eosinophils and T lymphocytes. In susceptible individuals, this inflammation causes recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and cough in early morning. These symptoms are usually associated with widespread but variable airflow limitation that is at least partly reversible either spontaneously or with treatment. The inflammation also causes an associated increase in airway responsiveness to a variety of stimuli. [8]
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