AssessmenT of smalL Airways involvemeNT In aSthma (ATLANTIS)

Large non pharmacological studies on Small Airways Disease

Asthmatic patient inclusion criteria

• Male or female patients aged ≥ 18 and ≤ 65 years, who have signed an Informed Consent form
• Clinical diagnosis of asthma f

• Positive response to methacholine challenge test
• Positive response to a reversibility test or
• Peak Flow variability (i.e. highest - lowest PEF over the day/mean value of the two, × 100) > 20% or
• Documented response (defined as ΔFEV1 ≥ 12% and ≥ 200 mL) after a cycle (e.g., 4 weeks) of regular maintenance anti-asthma treatment.
• Patients with stable asthma.
• Current smoker, ex-smoker or lifelong non-smoker Healthy subject inclusion criteria

• Male or female patients aged ≥ 18 and ≤ 65 years 2. No clinical history of asthma or COPD 3. Current smoker, ex-smoker or lifelong non-smokers 4. Normal spirometry 5. Normal airways responsiveness Asthmatic patient exclusion criteria

• Cigarette smoking > 10 packyears
• diagnosis of COPD
• Asthma exacerbation in the 8 weeks prior to baseline visit
• Clinical or functional uncontrolled respiratory, haematological, immunologic, renal, neurologic, hepatic, endocrinal or other disease, or any condition that might compromise the results or interpretation of the study.
• Pregnant or lactating women
• Participation in an interventional clinical trial <12 weeks preceding baseline visit
• Inability to comply with study procedures.
• Alcohol or drug abuse. Healthy subject exclusion criteria

• Cigarette smoking history > 10 packyears 2. Diagnosed upper and/or lower respiratory disease(s). 3. Clinical or functional uncontrolled haematological, immunologic, renal, neurologic, hepatic, endocrinal or other disease, or any condition that mightp compromise the results or interpretation of the study.

• Pregnant or lactating women 5. Participation in an interventional clinical trial <12 weeks preceding baseline visit 6. Inability to comply with study procedures. 7. Alcohol or drug abuse.