Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center
Stress and Immunity in Pediatric Asthma
Principal Investigator
Jack Nassau, PhD
Funding Source
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Description
The purpose of this study is to determine whether stress leads to
changes in the immune system that are associated with increased
airway inflammation. Many people with asthma believe that stress
makes their asthma symptoms worse, and we have found that a brief
laboratory stressor can lead to increased airway resistance in some
children with asthma. In this study, we measure aspects of immunity
related to airway inflammation in asthma before and after a laboratory
stressor. We also measure life stress and cardiovascular reactivity
to stress (for example, changes in heart rate under stress) as possible
predictors of immune changes.
Significance
This research can increase our understanding about how stress influences
asthma symptoms, and can potentially help us identify a group of
children whose asthma symptoms could be reduced with better stress
management.
Find out more: Please contact
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information about the center and our research.
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