Are increased sputum endotoxin levels associated with an impaired lung function response to oral steroids in asthmatic patients?
Asthmatic smokers have similar sputum endotoxin concentrations compared with those of asthmatic never smokers. The association between higher sputum endotoxin levels and an impaired lung function response to oral corticosteroids, particularly in asthmatic never smokers, suggests that airway endotoxin might contribute to corticosteroid insensitivity in asthmatic patients.
Proteins indispensable for follicular growth were found to be differentially expressed in follicular fluid of women with PCOS, which may in part explain the aberrant folliculogenesis observed in these women.