Alia Bazzy-Asaad, MD
Research & Publications
Biography
News
Research Summary
Our research interests have focused on trying to understand the role of respiratory muscle fatigue in the development of respiratory failure in children. In particular, studying sites along the neuromuscular axis that could potentially fail and lead to impaired performance of the respiratory muscles. Examples of these include phrenic neural activation, neuromuscular transmission and utilization of energy substrate by the muscle. We have determined that neuromuscular transmission failure plays an important in the development of muscle fatigue in the newborn diaphragm, and that this relates to impaired release of neurotransmitter from the nerve terminals. Because of the important role of calcium in neurotransmitter release, we are focusing on the differences between presynaptic calcium channels subtypes in newborn and mature neuromuscular junction.
A second research interest has been childhood asthma. We currently have 2 areas that are being developed in the laboratory. One is to try to understand the mechanisms underlying the development of chronic asthma in childhood, and in particular how airway inflammation might modulate airway smooth muscle function. We will be examining the effect of chronic exposure to several cytokines on ion channel activity in airway smooth muscle, and how this affects the contractile properties of the muscle. We are also interested in performing clinical studies to determine whether the increase in exhaled nitric oxide (NO) that is observed in children with asthma is secondary to increased production or decreased absorption of NO in the lungs. This has implications on understanding the pathogenesis of the inflammatory process in asthma.
Specialized Terms: Respiratory Muscle Fatigue in Children; Development of Chronic Asthma in Children; Pathogenesis of Inflammatory Process in Asthma
Coauthors
Research Interests
Asthma; England; Pediatrics; Respiration Disorders; Respiratory Muscles
Selected Publications
- Longitudinal follow up of elevated pulmonary artery pressures in children with sickle cell disease.Pashankar FD, Carbonella J, Bazzy-Asaad A, Friedman A. Longitudinal follow up of elevated pulmonary artery pressures in children with sickle cell disease. British Journal Of Haematology 2009, 144:736-41.
- Sleep-disordered breathing in children with metabolic syndrome: the role of leptin and sympathetic nervous system activity and the effect of continuous positive airway pressure.Nakra N, Bhargava S, Dzuira J, Caprio S, Bazzy-Asaad A. Sleep-disordered breathing in children with metabolic syndrome: the role of leptin and sympathetic nervous system activity and the effect of continuous positive airway pressure. Pediatrics 2008, 122:e634-42.
- A role for macrophage migration inhibitory factor in the neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.Kevill KA, Bhandari V, Kettunen M, Leng L, Fan J, Mizue Y, Dzuira JD, Reyes-Mugica M, McDonald CL, Baugh JA, O'Connor CL, Aghai ZH, Donnelly SC, Bazzy-Asaad A, Bucala RJ. A role for macrophage migration inhibitory factor in the neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. Journal Of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950) 2008, 180:601-8.
- Chronic hypoxia modulates diaphragm function in the developing rat.Kass LJ, Bazzy AR. Chronic hypoxia modulates diaphragm function in the developing rat. Journal Of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985) 2001, 90:2325-9.
- Effect of inspiratory training on mitochondrial DNA and cytochrome-c oxidase expression in the diaphragm.Akiyama Y, Garcia RE, Bazzy AR. Effect of inspiratory training on mitochondrial DNA and cytochrome-c oxidase expression in the diaphragm. The American Journal Of Physiology 1996, 271:L320-5.
- Failure to generate action potentials in newborn diaphragms following nerve stimulation.Bazzy AR, Donnelly DF. Failure to generate action potentials in newborn diaphragms following nerve stimulation. Brain Research 1993, 600:349-52.
- Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guidelines: Diagnostic Evaluation of Infants with Recurrent or Persistent Wheezing.Ren CL, Esther CR, Debley JS, Sockrider M, Yilmaz O, Amin N, Bazzy-Asaad A, Davis SD, Durand M, Ewig JM, Yuksel H, Lombardi E, Noah TL, Radford P, Ranganathan S, Teper A, Weinberger M, Brozek J, Wilson KC. Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guidelines: Diagnostic Evaluation of Infants with Recurrent or Persistent Wheezing. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2016, 194:356-73.
- Biochemical Screening for Pulmonary Hypertension in Preterm Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.Montgomery AM, Bazzy-Asaad A, Asnes JD, Bizzarro MJ, Ehrenkranz RA, Weismann CG. Biochemical Screening for Pulmonary Hypertension in Preterm Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia. Neonatology 2016, 109:190-4.