Western red cedar asthma (WRCA) is the most common form of occupational asthma in the Pacific Northwest. WRCA is caused by sensitivity to plicatic acid, which is found in western red cedar dust. Until now, diagnosis of WRCA was
costly, time-consuming and logistically challenging, involving multiple bronchial challenges.
HLI investigators Drs. Scott Tebbutt and Chris Carlsten, along with several trainees in their labs, developed a blood-based biomarker panel to classify, at baseline (before allergen challenge), allergen-positive from allergen-negative
subjects. In addition to diagnosing WRCA, transcriptional changes observed in the blood may help elucidate the disease mechanisms of WRCA. Further validation of the blood biomarker panel with a larger cohort will confirm its
robustness.
Read the full article here: https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/rccm.201608-1740LE