This site is intended for healthcare professionals

account_circleSign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages without signing in

Acute inflammatory response in asthma

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

The acute inflammatory response is characterised by bronchoconstriction and airways oedema. This process begins within minutes of allergen exposure and resolves within hours.

Cross-linking of mast cell-bound IgE by allergen results in degranulation and the release of:

  • histamine:
    • causes increased blood flow and vascular permeability

  • proteases:
    • promote tissue degradation

  • tissue necrosis factor:
    • activates endothelial cells and promotes migration of inflammatory cells

  • platelet activating factor and leukotrienes:
    • promote smooth muscle contraction and mucus secretion

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.