Abstract
We have analysed the relationship of blood eosinophil count and serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels in patients with acute and chronic idiopathic urticaria. The ECP levels and eosinophil counts were measured in the peripheral blood of 15 patients with acute urticaria, 25 with chronic idiopathic urticaria and 10 normal healthy subjects. Blood eosinophil counts and serum ECP levels increased in all patients with acute urticaria. Concerning patients affected by chronic urticaria, taking into account the recrudescence of the disease at the moment of taking the blood sample, only symptomatic patients showed increased eosinophil blood values whereas serum ECP levels were increased both in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Furthermore, serum ECP levels in chronic urticaria did not correlate with the peripheral eosinophil counts, as they did in acute urticaria. The results of the present study indicate that eosinophils may play a role in the inflammatory mechanisms in patients with acute and chronic urticaria showing a positive correlation between serum ECP levels and disease activity.
Highlights
Circumscribed, raised, erythematous, evanescent areas of oedema that involve the superficial portions of the dermis are known as urticaria
The mean eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) serum concentrations were significantly higher both in patients with acute urticaria and in patients with chronic urticaria compared to that of the healthy subjects; but patients affected by acute urticaria did not show ECP serum concentrations higher than patients affected by chronic urticaria
The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships between the blood eosinophil counts and serum ECP levels in patients with acute and chronic urticaria
Summary
Circumscribed, raised, erythematous, evanescent areas (weals) of oedema that involve the superficial portions of the dermis are known as urticaria. Previous studies have demonstrated that an increased number of mast cells, monocytes, T-lymphocytes and eosinophils are present in biopsy specimens.[4,5,6,7] Yet the role played by eosinophils in the pathogenesis of skin lesions is not completely understood. Previous studies have provided evidence that ECP may mediate cutaneous tissue damage and, in particular, be involved in chronic idiopathic urticaria.[] Samples from local venous blood in cold urticaria have shown raised levels of histamine and eosinophil chemotactic factor.[14] To gain insight intc the role of eosinophils in chronic urticaria, we have analysed the relationship of eosinophils to serum ECP levels in patients with acute and chronic idiopathic urticaria
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