Abstract
This study was undertaken to investigate the correlation between the serum ECP and the serum eotaxin level, and disease activity as evaluated with pulmonary function in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 20 patients with stable asthma and 15 patients with COPD, and 15 subjects of the control group took part in this study. The analysis of ECP was performed according to the manufacturer's directions (Pharmacia Diagnostics AB, Uppsala, Sweden). The ELISA test was used to measure eotaxin levels in sserum (kits from R&D, USA). The levels of ECP were 16.9+/-6.3 microg/L in patients with asthma, 15.1+/-9.3 microg/L in patients with COPD and 11.8+/-6.2 microg/L in the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the asthma ECP level compared with the ECP level in COPD. There was a significant difference between the ECP plasma level in asthma compared with the ECP plasma level in the control group (p<0.05). The levels of eotaxin were 175.8+/-49.3 pg/mL in the control group. There was a correlation of ECP and the eotaxin level in asthma patients (r=+0.5, p<0.05). The percentage fall in FEV1 correlated with eotaxin level in asthma (r=-0.3, p<0.05) and with the eotaxin level in COPD (r=-0.5, p<0.05). Serum outcomes of eotaxin and ECP levels appear to be a useful indicator of atopic asthma, and might provide complementary data disease monitoring. Therefore, further investigations are required to clarify whether serum eotaxin measurements have a role in the clinical evaluation in COPD.
Highlights
Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases are a complex of conditions, which have airflow limitation in common.[1]
Setta e t a l. found that the numbers of tissue eosinophils are markedly and significantly increased when there is an exacerbation of bronchitis, and that associated with the exacerbation their numbers are similar to those reported in stable asthma.[7]
forced expiratory volume 1 s (FEV1) was significantly reduced in patients with asthma and COPD compared to the control group (p
Summary
Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases are a complex of conditions, which have airflow limitation in common.[1] The most characteristic features of asthma are short-term changes in the airway caliber, reversible airflow limitation, bronchial hyperresponsiveness as well as eosinophilic and lymphocytic airway inflammation. The common definition of COPD implies long-term changes in airway caliber, less or irreversible airflow obstruction, seldom or no bronchial hyperresponsiveness and neutrophilic airway inflammation. Eosinophils are believed to be critical proinflammatory cells in airways mucosal damage in asthma by releasing highly toxic proteins. One of these proteins, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), can be quantitated in bronchial secretion and peripheral blood. An increased level of ECP was observed in the sputum and bronchial lavage from patients with COPD.[8,9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
