@article{oai:kanazawa-u.repo.nii.ac.jp:00014747,
 author = {Kita, Toshiyuki and Fujimura, Masaki and Sone, Takashi and Inuzuka, Kanako and Myou, Shigeharu and Nakao, Shinji},
 issue = {4},
 journal = {Journal of Bronchology},
 month = {Oct},
 note = {Background and Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the wall structure assessed by using endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS) and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in patients with asthma. Methods: Twenty-four patients with stable asthma and 11 individuals without asthma were studied. EBUS was performed with a radial 20-MHz ultrasonic probe inserted into the intermediate bronchus undergoing flexible bronchoscopy to assess the airway wall structure. The percentage of airway wall thickness {WT%; defined as [(ideal outer diameter-ideal luminal diameter)/ideal outer diameter] × 100} was determined by EBUS. We measured bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine [the provocative concentration of methacholine causing a decrease of 20% or more in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (PC20)]. Results: Percentage wall thickness measured by EBUS was significantly greater in patients with asthma than that in subjects without asthma (P < 0.01). The evaluation of the laminar structure using EBUS indicated that the thickness of the second layer in patients with asthma was greater than that in subjects without asthma (P < 0.05). PC20 was negatively correlated with the thickness of the second layer (r=0.52, P < 0.01) but was not significantly correlated with other layers in patients with asthma. Conclusions: The evaluation of the bronchial mural structure using EBUS might be advantageous for assessing the relationship between airway wall remodeling and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. © 2010 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins., 金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系},
 pages = {301--306},
 title = {Airway wall structure assessed by endobronchial ultrasonography and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in patients with asthma},
 volume = {17},
 year = {2010}
}