Application of nanotechnology in drug delivery systems for respiratory diseases (Review)

Respiratory disease is a common disease with a high incidence worldwide, which is a serious threat to human health, and is considered a societal and economic burden. The application of nanotechnology in drug delivery systems has created new treatments for respiratory diseases. Within this context, the present review systematically introduced the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles (NPs); reviewed the current research status of different nanocarriers in the treatment of respiratory diseases, including liposomes, solid lipid nanocarriers, polymeric nanocarriers, dendrimers, inorganic nanocarriers and protein nanocarriers; and discussed the main advantages and limitations of therapeutic nanomedicine in this field. The application of nanotechnology overcomes drug inherent deficiencies to a certain extent, and provides unlimited potential for the development of drugs to treat respiratory diseases. However, most of the related research work is in the preclinical experimental stage and safety assessment is still a challenging task. Future studies are needed to focus on the performance modification, molecular mechanism and potential toxicity of therapeutic nanomedicine.

[Characteristics of pulmonary function in children with atypical asthma with chest tightness as chief complaint before and after bronchial provocation test]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the characteristics of pulmonary function in children with atypical asthma with chest tightness as the chief complaint before and after a bronchial provocation test.

METHODS

This study included 34 children with atypical asthmas who underwent bronchial provocation test between January 2010 and December 2013. Thirty-four children with typical asthmas were selected as the control group. The pulmonary function of the atypical asthma group was examined before and after the bronchial provocation test and compared with that of the control group in the acute episode and remission stages.

RESULTS

The forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC, peak expiratory flow, forced expiratory flow 25%, 50%, 75% (FEF25, FEF50, FEF75), and maximum mid-expiratory flow (MMEF75/25) in the atypical asthma group before the bronchial provocation test were (105±12)%, (104±12)%, (100±7)%, (88±13)%, (90±14)%, (81±17)%, (73±25)%, and (80±17)%, respectively; these functional indices were significantly higher than in the control group in the acute episode stage (P<0.05), but were similar to those of the control group in the remission stage (P>0.05). In addition, no significant difference in pulmonary indices was observed between the atypical asthma group after the bronchial provocation test and the control group in the acute episode stage (P>0.05), but functional indices above were significantly lower in the atypical asthma group after the bronchial provocation test than in the control group in the remission stage and the atypical asthma group before the bronchial provocation test (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Bronchial provocation test is useful in the diagnosis of atypical asthma in children.