Asthma Exacerbations and Vascular Function

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2020-12-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Although asthma is a disease of the airways, research is now showing that asthmatics are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to non-asthmatics. Vascular dysfunction is seen in people at high risk of CVD and has been linked to inflammation. During an asthma attack, levels of inflammation in the whole body increase, which could potentially explain why asthmatics are at increased risk of CVD. By exercising, people can change the amount of inflammation in their bodies, improve vascular function, and thereby reduce the risk of CVD. In the proposed study the investigators will assess if asthma attacks lead to increased risk of CVD by evaluating inflammatory levels and vascular function before and after asthma attacks. The investigators will also evaluate if exercise reduces the cardiovascular risk following asthma attacks. The results from this study will help in understanding why asthmatics are at increased risk of CVD.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of Alberta
• Treatments: Mannitol; Methacholine Chloride

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Asthmatics, defined according to ATS and GINA guidelines,

• BMI <35kg/m2

• No known cardiovascular disease

• ACQ score equal to or less than 1.5 (controlled or partly controlled asthma)

• People without asthma (controls) will be recruited from the general population according to the same criteria, but with no history of asthma.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy