ICAM-1=intercellularadhesionmolecule-1;MPI=minimalpersistentinflammation
Availableonlinehttp://respiratory-research
com/content/2/6/320IntroductionTheoverallviewofthepathophysiologyofrespiratoryallergyhaschangedprofoundlyoverthepast10years
Increasingattentionhasbeendevotedtotherelationshipbetweenrhinitisandasthma(i
betweentheupperandthelowerrespiratoryairways)thatwasfirstnotedinepi-demiologicalstudies
Inaddition,clinicalobservationsprovidecompellingevidenceforthefollowingphenomena:thefrequentco-existenceofrhinitisandasthma,rhinitisasariskfactorfordevelopingasthma,theoccurrenceofbronchialhyperresponsivenessinrhinitis,theassociationbetweenupperrespiratoryinfectionsandasthmaexacerba-tions,theexistenceofacommonpathogenicmechanismsbetweenrhinitisandasthma,andtheexacerbatingroleofsinusitisinas