Serum metalloproteinases-9 in asthmatic children

Abstract

Background Serum matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are widely investigated markers of inflammation that are used to evaluate the severity of bronchial asthma in children, and may be the targets of new therapeutic options aiming at improving the management of such disease. Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate serum levels of MMP-9 in acute asthma exacerbation in children and its correlation with severity of acute attack and peak flow meter measurement in asthmatic children. Patients and methods One hundred asthmatic children, aged 6–14 years, with acute exacerbation (mild and moderately severe attacks) were evaluated during their visit to emergency department unit for serum MMP-9 (measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and peak expiratory flow (measured by peak flow meter) before receiving any treatment. There were 46 male and 54 female patients. A total of 50 controls were taken as the control group for serum MMP-9. Results Serum MMP-9 was significantly higher in asthmatic children compared with the control group, and significantly higher in patients with moderate than with mild exacerbation. Moreover, serum MMP-9 was negatively correlated with peak expiratory flow in asthmatic children. Conclusion Serum MMP-9 may be used as an inflammatory marker for diagnosing and evaluating the severity of acute asthma exacerbation in children.