Bay Biosciences provides high-quality fresh frozen bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples, with matched fresh frozen sera (serum), plasma, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) bio-fluids, from patients diagnosed with asthma.
The sera (serum), plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) biofluid specimens are processed from asthma patients peripheral whole-blood using customized collection and processing protocols.
Fresh frozen tissue and matched biofluid samples were, collected from unique patients diagnosed with asthma.
Bio-samples are provided to a valued pharmaceutical customer for research, diagnostics, discovery, and drug development.
Asthma Overview
Asthma is a chronic condition that affects the airways. It causes wheezing and can make it hard to breathe. Some triggers include exposure to an allergen or irritant, viruses, exercise, and emotional stress.
Inflammation characterized by recurrent, reversible, airway obstruction. Airway inflammation also leads to airway hyperreactivity, which causes airways to narrow in response to various stimuli.
Asthma causes the inside walls of the airways, or the bronchial tubes, to become swollen and inflamed.
During an asthma attack, the airways swell, the muscles around them tighten, and it becomes difficult for air to move in and out of the lungs.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 7.8% of people in the United States had asthma. There are many types of this condition, and several factors can cause it or trigger an acute attack.
Asthma is a common chronic condition, affecting 68 per thousand individuals in most recent asthma surveys. Asthma remains a leading cause of missed workdays. It is responsible for 1.5 million emergency department visits annually and up to 500,000 hospitalizations.
Over 3,300 Americans die annually from asthma. Furthermore, as is the case with other allergic conditions, such as eczema (atopic dermatitis), hay fever (allergic rhinitis), and food allergies, the prevalence of asthma appears to be on the rise.
According the world health organization (WHO), in 2019 an estimated 262 million people were affected by asthma and it caused 461,000 deaths worldwide.
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a long-term condition affecting the airways. It involves Inflammation and narrowing inside the lungs, which restricts air supply.
A patient living with asthma may experience the following:
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Chest pain
- Tightness in the chest
- Cough
- Headaches
- Increased mucus production
- Rapid breathing
- Sweating
- Anxiety
- Wheezing
An asthma attack occurs when the symptoms become severe. Attacks can begin suddenly and range from mild to life threatening.
In some cases, swelling in the airways can prevent oxygen from reaching the lungs. This means that oxygen cannot enter the bloodstream or reach vital organs. Therefore, asthma patients who experience severe symptoms need urgent medical attention.
Doctors differentiate severe asthma from other, milder forms of asthma according to the frequency and intensity of a person’s symptoms. Accordingly suitable treatments are prescribed and patients are advised on ways how to best manage their asthma symptoms.
Severe asthma is persistent, which doctors define as asthma that causes symptoms more than twice a week. For many severe asthma sufferers, symptoms occur daily.
Also, people with severe asthma require a mixture of medications that includes a high-dose inhaled corticosteroid or a systemic (oral) corticosteroid. Roughly 4 percent of patients who have asthma have severe asthma.
Severe asthma is not the same as a “severe acute asthma” attack or episode. This term refers to an asthma attack that is so severe that it requires immediate medical attention.
Triggers of Asthma
Asthma can develop in many different ways and for many different reasons, but the triggers are often the same. They can include following several broad categories:
- Allergens, including dander and pollen
- Certain medications
- Change in weather
- Exercise
- Irritants, such as smoke and chemicals
- Strong emotions
- Other health conditions
Types of Asthma
Adult-Onset Asthma
Asthma can develop at any age, including during adulthood.
Some factors that affect the risk of developing asthma in adulthood can include the following:
Childhood Asthma
Asthma is the most common chronic condition in children. It can develop at any age, but it is slightly more common in children than in adults.
In 2019, children aged 12–14 years were most likely to experience asthma. In this age group, the condition affected over 10% of children. The second highest prevalence was in children aged 5–14 years, with an average of over 9%.
In the same year, asthma developed in 8% of people aged 18 years or over.
According to the American Lung Association (ALA), some common triggers of childhood asthma include:
- Allergens
- Air pollutants, such as ozone and particle pollution, both indoors and outside
- Cigarette smoke, including secondhand tobacco smoke
- Exercise
- Excitement
- Exposure to cold air
- Respiratory infections and colds
- Sudden changes in temperature
- Stress
It is vital to seek medical attention if a child starts to experience asthma, as it can be life threatening. A doctor can advise on some of the best ways to manage the condition.
In some cases, asthma may improve as the child reaches adulthood. For many asthma patients, however, it is a lifelong condition.
Occupational Asthma
Occupational asthma develops as a result of exposure to an allergen or irritant present in the workplace. About 1 in 6 adult-onset cases of asthma start at work.
Additionally, about 21% of working adults living with asthma have found that their symptoms worsen at work. Both indoor and outdoor work environments can expose an individual to asthma triggers.
Severe Asthma
A research study suggests that around 5–10% of asthma patients have severe asthma.
Some asthma patients have severe symptoms for reasons that do not relate directly to asthma. For example, they may not yet have learned the correct way to use an inhaler.
Others have severe refractory asthma. In these cases, the asthma does not respond to treatment, even with high dosages of medication or the correct use of inhalers. This type of asthma may affect 3.6% of asthma patients.
Eosinophilic asthma is another type of asthma that, in severe cases, may not respond to the usual medications. Although some patients with eosinophilic asthma manage with standard asthma medications, others may benefit from specific biologic therapies.
One type of biologic medication reduces the number of eosinophils, which are a type of blood cell involved in an allergic reaction that can trigger asthma.
Seasonal Asthma
This type of asthma develops in response to allergens that are only in the surrounding environment at certain times of the year.
For instance, cold air in the winter or pollen in the spring or summer may trigger symptoms of seasonal asthma.
Individuals living with seasonal asthma still have the condition for the rest of the year, but they usually do not experience symptoms.
However, asthma does not always stem from an allergy.
Causes of Asthma
Researchers do not know what exactly causes asthma, but genetic and environmental factors both seem to play a significant role.
Some factors, such as sensitization to an allergen, can be both a cause and a trigger. Following is list of some of the other causes and triggers for asthma:
Allergies
Allergies develop when a person’s body becomes sensitized to a specific substance. Once the sensitization has developed, the person will be susceptible to an allergic reaction each time they come into contact with the substance.
Allergic asthma is the most common type of asthma. Inhaling an allergen typically causes a person’s asthma symptoms to occur.
Environmental Factors
Air pollution, both at one’s home and outdoors, can affect the development and triggers of asthma.
Some allergens inside the house include:
- Animal hair and dander
- Cockroaches
- Dust
- Fumes from household cleaners and paints
- Feathers
- Mold
Other triggers in the home and outdoors include:
- Air pollution from traffic and other sources
- Ground-level ozone
- Pollen
Genetic Factors
According to the ALA, a genetic component may play a role in whether an individual will develop cancer during their lifetime.
A person who has one or both parents living with asthma is more likely than others to develop the condition.
Hormonal Factors
Around 6.1% of males and 9.8% of females are living with asthma. In addition, symptoms may vary depending on an person’s menstrual cycle and when going through changes such as menopause.
For instance, during reproductive years, a person’s symptoms may worsen during menstruation compared with other times of the month due to a decrease in progesterone and estrogen levels. Doctors call this perimenstrual asthma.
The relationship between hormones and asthma is complex, and it varies from person to person. Dropping hormone levels associated with menopause may make asthma symptoms worse or cause some people to develop asthma. Other individuals, on the other hand, may notice their asthma symptoms improve after menopause.
Hormonal activity may also impact immune activity, resulting in hypersensitivity in the airways. Patients with intermittent asthma may also have symptoms only some of the time.
Pregnancy
According to a 2020 study, smoking during pregnancy appears to increase the risk of the fetus developing asthma later in life. Some people also experience an aggravation of asthma symptoms while pregnant.
Smoking Tobacco
According to the ALA, smoking cigarettes can trigger asthma symptoms.
Moreover, secondhand smoke can cause damage to the lungs as well. This can reduce a person’s response to treatment and decrease airflow in the lungs.
Diagnosis of Asthma
A doctor will often take into account a patient’s symptoms, family and personal medical history, and test results.
When the doctor makes their diagnosis, they will also note the type of asthma a person has based on their triggers.
It can be helpful for a person to keep a log of their symptoms and possible triggers to help the doctor reach an accurate diagnosis. This should include information about potential irritants in the home, school, or workplace.
The sections below discuss some other tests a doctor may conduct to help diagnose asthma.
Physical Examination
The doctor will likely focus on the upper respiratory tract, the chest, and the skin. They will likely listen for signs of wheezing, which can indicate an obstructed airway and asthma.
They may also check for:
- a runny nose
- swollen nasal passages
- any growths on the inside of the nose
They will also check the skin for signs of eczema or hives.
Asthma Tests
The doctor may carry out a lung function test to assess how well the lungs are working.
A spirometry test is the most common type of lung function test healthcare professionals use to diagnose asthma.
A person will need to breathe in deeply and then breathe out forcefully into a tube. The tube links up to a machine called a spirometer, which shows the speed at which they expel the air from their lungs.
Other Diagnostic Tests for Asthma
Other tests for diagnosis include:
- Challenge test: This test allows a doctor to assess how triggers such as cold air, exercise, or inhaled medications affect a person’s breathing.
- Allergy testing: A doctor may use a skin or blood test to check for a response.
- Blood test: A doctor may recommend a blood test to check for elevated eosinophils and immunoglobulin E, which is an antibody the immune system generates in people with allergic asthma.
Your doctor may also request a exhaled nitric oxide test or FeNO test, as well as additional tests to rule out other conditions.
Treatment of Asthma
Treatment options for asthma are increasing and improving. The goal of treatment is to:
- Help the patient breathe better
- Increase the number of activities they can engage in
- Reduce the number of asthma attacks
A person should work with a healthcare professional to develop the most suitable treatment plan for them. Some current options for treatment include quick-relief medication and long-term control medications.
Quick-relief medications help alleviate symptoms, while long-term control medication reduces the number of attacks if a person takes it daily.
Asthma medications currently include:
- Antibiotics for a bacterial pneumonia or bronchitis
- Long- and short-term bronchodilators that relax muscles around the airways
- Anti-inflammatory medications, such as inhaled corticosteroids, for long-term maintenance, or oral steroids for an acute attack
- A combination of bronchodilators and corticosteroids
Exercising
The ALA recommends that everyone living with asthma, even exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (formerly known as exercise-induced asthma), should exercise regularly.
Regular exercise has several health benefits, including helping improve a person’s overall lung function and capacity.
Before starting a new exercise program, a person should consult a doctor about what activities are safe for them. It is possible the doctor will recommend a person avoid certain activities.
Otherwise, a person can generally participate in sports, exercise, and other physical activities if they take steps to control their asthma with medications.
Other suggestions for safe and effective exercising for a person to try include:
- Avoiding activities outside when air quality is poor
- Covering their nose and mouth during exercise in cold weather
- Making sure they adequately warm up first
- Taking time to properly cool down afterward
If a person experiences pain at any time during exercise, they should stop and use a fast-acting inhaler. If symptoms get worse, they should contact a doctor.
Bay Biosciences is a global leader in providing researchers with high quality, clinical grade, fully characterized human tissue samples, bio-specimens, and human bio-fluid collections.
Samples available include cancer (tumor) tissue, cancer serum, cancer plasma, cancer, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). and human tissue samples from most other therapeutic areas and diseases.
Bay Biosciences maintains and manages its own biorepository, the human tissue bank (biobank) consisting of thousands of diseased samples (specimens) and from normal healthy donors available in all formats and types.
Our biobank procures and stores fully consented, deidentified and institutional review boards (IRB) approved human tissue samples and matched controls.
All our human tissue collections, human specimens and human bio-fluids are provided with detailed, samples associated patient’s clinical data.
This critical patient’s clinical data includes information relating to their past and current disease, treatment history, lifestyle choices, biomarkers, and genetic information.
Patient’s data is extremely valuable for researchers and is used to help identify new effective treatments (drug discovery & development) in oncology, and other therapeutic areas and diseases.
Bay Biosciences banks wide variety of human tissue samples and biological samples, including cryogenically preserved at – 80°C.
Including fresh frozen tissue samples, tumor tissue samples, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE), tissue slides, with matching human bio-fluids, whole blood and blood-derived products such as serum, plasma and PBMC.
Bay Biosciences is a global leader in collecting and providing human tissue samples according to the specified requirements and customized, tailor-made collection protocols.
Please contact us anytime to discuss your special research projects and customized human tissue sample requirements.
Bay Biosciences provides human tissue samples (human specimens) from diseased and normal healthy donors which includes:
- Peripheral whole-blood
- Amniotic fluid
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- Sputum
- Pleural effusion
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
- Serum (sera)
- Plasma
- Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)
- Saliva
- Buffy coat
- Urine
- Stool samples
- Aqueous humor
- Vitreous humor
- Kidney stones (renal calculi)
- Other bodily fluids from most diseases including cancer.
We can also procure most human bio-specimens, special collections and requests for human samples that are difficult to find. All our human tissue samples are procured through IRB-approved clinical protocols and procedures.
In addition to the standard processing protocols, Bay Biosciences can also provide human plasma, serum, and PBMC bio-fluid samples using custom processing protocols; you buy donor-specific collections in higher volumes and specified sample aliquots from us.
Bay Biosciences also provides human samples from normal healthy donors; volunteers, for controls and clinical research, contact us Now.
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