Abstract
Objective To observe the feature of airway inflammation in patients troubled by gastro-oesophageal reflux (GER) with asthma-like symptoms. Methods Thirty-four cases of GER with asthma symptoms, 12 with asthma and 11 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Sputum was induced by hypertonic saline aerosol inhalation in all patients and healthy subjects, and the sputum differential cell counts were determined. The concentration of IL-8, -6, and -5 in the supernatant of induced sputum was measured by using enzyme linked immunosorbert assay (ELISA) respectively. Results The sputum eosinophilic percentage in GERDa patients was significantly decreased (P ＜0. 05 ) and the sputum neutrophil percentage was increased as compared with those in asthmatic patients ( P ＜ 0. 05 ). The concentrations of IL-5 (52.86 ±20.25, 55.69 ± 17.72, 70.56 ± 12.63), IL-6 (22. 14 ±9. 18, 18.62 ±9.94, 15.63 ±13.61 ) in the sputum supernatant in all patients were significantly increased as compared with healthy controls (P ＜ 0. 05), and the concentration of IL-5 in asthmatic patients were higher than in GERDa patients (P ＜0. 05). The concentration of IL-8 in GERD patients (308. 33 ± 178.60, 234. 28 ± 130. 98) was significantly increase as compared with healthy controls ( 143.26 ± 32.71, P ＜ 0. 05 ). There was no significant difference in the concentration of IL-8 between asthmatic patients and healthy controls ( P ＞ 0. 05 ).Conclusion Asthma and gastroesophageal reflux are both characterized by airway inflammation. Differed with asthma obtained by airway eosinophilic inflammation and mainly elevated IL-5, the GER-triggered airway inflammation is characterized by a neutrophilic airway inflammation and mainly enhanced levels of IL-8. GER does aggravate pre-existing airway inflammation in asthmatic patients through related cytokines which is the linkage between them. Key words: Gastroesophageal reflux; Airway inflammation; Interleukin
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