Text Box: EFFECTS OF HYPOXIA INHALATION THERAPY ON THE NUMBER OF EOSINOPHIL AND CD4+ T-LYMPHOCYTE IN REMISSION STAGE IN ASTHMATIC GUINEA PIGS Xiong Jianping, Bi Yanqin, Kong Xiangying. Department of Pediatrics, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China Objective: To explore the mechanism of the therapeutic effects of hypoxia inhalation on asthma to provide theoretical basis for clinical practice. Methods: Guinea pigs were randomized into the normal group (NG), asthmatic group (AG) and the hypoxia inhalation-treated group (HITG). The model of asthma was established in the animals in the latter two group through sensitization and induction with 10% ovalbumin (OA) and 1% OA respectively. The animals in HITG were treated with hypoxia inhalation (13±0.5%O2/N2 mixed gas). The content of serum cortisol, the number of eosinophils(EOS) and percentage of hypodense eosinophils (HEOS) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF)，the number of CD4+T-lymphocyte in peripheral blood(PB) and the tension of airway muscle were determined. Results: 1)The content of serum cortisol was significantly higher in NG and HITG than in AG(p<0.01); 2)The number of EOS and percentage of HEOS in BALF was significantly lower in HITG than in AG(p<0.01); 3) The number of CD4+ T-lymphocyte in PB were significantly higher in AG than in HITG（P<0.01）;4)The tension of airway muscle in AG was increased markedly while that in HITG was decreased. Conclusion: After the treatment with hypoxia inhalation, the content of serum cortisol in asthmatic guinea pigs was significantly increased to result in marked decreased of the number of EOS, the percentage of HEOS in BALF, the number of CD4+ T-lymphocyte in PB and the tension of airway muscle, thus result in alleviation of the airway hyperresponsiveness. All these may be beneficial to prevent the relapse of asthma and alleviate asthmatic syndrome, which suggests that hypoxia inhalation is of great value for clinic practice. 1999