Jenna Zaeske, a 43-year-old female with a history of seasonal allergies and dermatitis, presented with symptoms of dyspnea, cough, wheezing and phlegm production. Medical testing revealed potential adult-onset asthma. Her asthma was caused by bronchiole spasms and inflammation in the lungs from cigarette smoking and a moldy home environment. Treatments included relievers, controllers, and preventers to dilate the bronchioles and control airflow. Leukotrienes were identified as molecules that trigger bronchiole contractions and inflammation.

1. CaseStudy
Jenna Zaeske

2. Medical
History
 Female
 43 years old
 Seasonal allergies
 Dermatitis
 Loose stools under stress

3. Symptoms
 Cigarette smoker
 Moldy environment (house)
 Dyspnea
 Cough
 Wheezing during increased
exertion of exercise
 Mild swelling of tongue with
phlegm coating on top

4. MedicalTesting
 Wright’s test (screening test for vertebral-basilar
insufficiency
 X-ray exam of lungs and heart
 Spirometry
 Electrocardiogram
 Determination of blood carbon dioxide pressure and
hematocrit

5. Diagnosis
• Adult-onset asthma
• With potential leukotrienes

6. • Respiratory
condition causedby
spasms in bronchiof
lungs
Asthma
• Usually causedby
difficulty in
breathing, swelling
ofmucouslining,
andoverall
inflammation of
lungs

7. Treatments
 Examples of relievers, controllers, preventers, and
combinations.The relievers are able to respond to an
asthma episode, when it is near impossible to breath.
Controller is able to control the airflow at real time.
Preventers dilate the bronchi keeping them open.This
type is taken before exercising to insure no asthma
symptoms occur. Lastly, combination medication are a
combination of the previous categories to ensure the
positive effects of more than one category of medicine.

8. People suffering from asthma have increased
tightening and thickening of bronchioles.
The already constricted airways begin to fill
with mucous/phlegm.
The inflamed passageways make if difficult
and sometimes painful for moving air through.
In the figure to the left, the bronchiole on the
left is constricted, thus it is affected by
asthma.
The bronchiole on the right side are of a
normal person’s. It is relaxed and thin, keeping
the path for air wide open.

9. This picture showsthe
progression between a
normalbronchiole
eventuallyturninginto
onethatiseffected by
asthma.The bronchiole
onthe right ishighly
affected bythe
inflammation ofthe
airways.Whydothe
bronchioles become so
inflamed?

10. Leukotrienes
This molecule triggers contractions
in smooth musle lining in the
bronchioles. It causes major
inflammation.

11. LTB4(aleukotriene)iscreatedin
vivofromLTA4withthehelpof
theenzymeLTA4hydrolase.Its
overallpurposeistopromote
theproductionofinflammatory
cytokines.Itisproducedby
immunecells.Itcausesmajor
inflammationinthebronicoles,
resultinginasthma.