Clinical and Pathological Observations in Fatal Bronchial Asthma

Abstract

Despite many recent advances in the understanding of mechanisms of allergic disease, the definitive treatment of asthma remains elusive. The medicinal treatment of asthma consists primarily of a combination of mild sedation, antibiotics, bronchodilating agents, and corticosteroids. Although the basic underlying cause of the disease is unaffected, these measures often are sufficient to evoke symptomatic relief. There is a group of asthmatics who are refractory to the usual measures. These patients require high doses of steroids to control their symptoms, use large amounts of bronchodilatory agents, and are seemingly unimproved by desensitization procedures. Little seasonal incidence to their symptoms can