Airway Redox and Gender Determinants in Severe Asthma

The investigators will study the biologic and chemical differences that cause the greater incidence, and severity of asthma in women as compared to men. Severe asthma affects boys more than girls, while severe asthma in adults is predominantly a disease of women. The investigators aim to identify the processes that occur in the body that are behind the onset of severe asthma in young women during the teenage years, and the resolution of severe asthma in boys. To further evaluate gender influences on asthma, asthmatic women at different stages of their menstrual cycle (period) will be also studied. The investigators aim to use biomarkers to develop testing procedures that will identify different types or characteristics of asthma in men and women; and to follow patients over time to uncover relevant clinical outcomes of biomarkers. The investigators anticipate that they will 1) develop clinically relevant tests to identify unique types or characteristics of asthma and severe asthma; 2) determine outcomes over time of biochemically-defined types of asthma; and 3) identify the reasons for why adult women are affected more than men with severe asthma.