Background-Allergic asthma is characterized by airway inflammation associated with recruitment and activation of eosinophils. In mice, allergen exposure induces platelet migration to the airways that is necessary for eosinophil recruitment and activation. We therefore hypothesized that in the airways of human subjects with asthma, (1) platelet activation would be positively associated with eosinophil activation and (2) platelet and eosinophil activation would both be associated with clinical asthma characteristics.

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