Serum leptin and adiponectin levels correlate with mast cell activation during exercise-induced bronchospasm in asthmatic children

Abstract

Methods Seventy-two prepubertal children from the ages of 6 years to 10 years were recruited in the study. They comprised: asthmatic with EIB (n=24), asthmatic without EIB (n=21), and healthy controls (n=27). We measured exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) and serum eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP), leptin, adiponectin and cytokines. The urinary concentrations of LTE4 and 9a,11b-PGF2 were measured. The present study also performed pulmonary function tests: baseline, post-bronchodilator inhalation, methacholine inhalation and exercise. The area under the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)-time curve quantified the severity of EIB over a 20-minute period after exercise (AUC20).