Asthmatic bronchitis is characterized by allergic affection mainly of medium and large diameter bronchi.

Aetiology and pathogenesis

Doctors describe atopic and infectious-allergic forms of the asthmatic bronchitis. In young children the sensitization to food, drug and bacterial allergens may become significant cause of the development of the asthmatic bronchitis. At more advanced age, the increased sensitivity to house, pollen, and fungal allergens plays the essential role. The development of atopic form of the asthmatic bronchitis is determined by IgE-mediated allergic reactions. In the pathogenesis of the infectious-allergic form of the asthmatic bronchitis the leading part is plaid by cellular-mediated immune pathologic reactions; however, in some children with this form of the disease doctors detect the participation of IgE-mediated mechanism. The development of the asthmatic bronchitis is promoted by hereditary predisposition to allergic reactions and diseases as well as recurrent viral and bacterial inflammatory diseases of respiratory system.

The status asthmaticus is the most frequent complication of the bronchial asthma threatening the life of patients and requiring emergency intensive therapy. Lethality in the status asthmaticus makes about 5 %. Doctors describe anaphylactic and metabolic forms of the status asthmaticus.

The allergy is one of the important causes of asthma and therefore requires particular attention. As a matter of fact, asthma and allergy so often go together that these notions frequently become inseparable. So, what are asthma and allergy? The allergy can be defined as an increased sensitivity of some people to certain environmental factors, called allergens, which do not cause negative reactions among the majority of people.