Have Recent Investigations into Remission from Childhood Asthma Helped in Understanding the Pathogenesis of this Disease?

Studies show that a significant proportion of young people suffering from childhood onset asthma later recovered, usually in adolescence. In this article we argue that an understanding of the differences between children who recover from asthma and those who do not would contribute to increased understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of the disease and could provide new clues about prevention and treatment. We note that some researchers have recently published results from these kinds of investigations. This paper reports results regarding genetic determinants, distorted mechanisms of inflammation, and mind/body relationships. We also try to integrate findings from these 3 areas to formulate general conclusions about the pathogenesis of asthma.