Abstract
Interleukin-13 (IL-13) is a major contributor to type-2 inflammation in asthma. Asthma control is the extent to which manifestation of disease have been reduced or eradicated by treatment, and it is the main therapeutic goal. However, the link between IL-13 and asthma control has not been extensively studied. We therefore determined if serum IL-13 was associated with asthma control in patients presenting to a tertiary center in Nigeria.Eighty-two adults with physician confirmed asthma, participated in this cross-sectional study. All participants had assessment of asthma control by asthma control test (ACT), and serum IL-13 assay by a commercial ELISA kit; spirometry and skin prick test were also assessed. Correlation between ACT scores and serum IL-13 assay was assessed by spearman’s correlation coefficient.There were 59 females (72%), mean age was 43.4 years (SD16.3) and mean duration of asthma symptoms was 19years (SD=13.4), median (IQR) ACT score was 18.0(13.0-22.0) and median (IQR) serum IL-13 was 4.0(3.3 4.4) pg/ml. Out of the 82 participants, 49(59.8%) had uncontrolled asthma (ACT≤20). Serum IL-13 correlated inversely with ACT, rho= -0.218, p=0.025. The serum IL -13 median (IQR) concentration did not differ significantly between non-atopic 4.1(3.7-4.4) pg/ml and atopic 3.8(3.2-4.4) pg/ml; p=0.159 asthmatics. Serum IL-13 may be a useful biomarker to assess asthma control in asthmatics.
Highlights
Asthma is one of the most prevalent and chronic immunological respiratory diseases. 1,2 It is characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways and accumulating evidence indicates that the underlying inflammation in atopic asthma is driven by type 2 CD4+ lymphocytes (Th2 cells) and their cytokines including interleukin-13 (IL-13)
Despite the advances made in the field of asthma pathogenesis and availability of effective therapy, currently, asthma cannot be cured, the main aim of therapeutic management is to achieve and maintain control,[6] treatment protocols need to be adjusted according to asthma control levels as specified in many national and international guidelines. 7–10 Asthma control was traditionally determined by subjective evaluation of the presence or absence of symptoms, asthmatics may over or under-estimate their symptoms and oftentimes, symptom perception may not be a direct correlate of the underlying inflammation
IL-13 levels in serum negatively correlate with asthma control test (ACT) score
Summary
Asthma is one of the most prevalent and chronic immunological respiratory diseases. 1,2 It is characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways and accumulating evidence indicates that the underlying inflammation in atopic asthma is driven by type 2 CD4+ lymphocytes (Th2 cells) and their cytokines including interleukin-13 (IL-13). IL-13 is a 13KDa, 33 amino acid pleiotropic cytokine, a product of gene on chromosome 5 at 5q31 It is produced by many cells, in particular by Th2 cells, others are mast cells, eosinophil, monocytes/macrophage and type 2 innate lymphoid cells. Salawu and Adedeji / IP Indian Journal of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine 2020;5(4):[205–210] using inflammatory biomarkers in the sputum or blood may be a more objective way of measuring airway inflammation and may correlate with disease activity or even predict exacerbation. This study aimed to assess the level of serum IL13 which is a main driver of inflammation in asthmatics, to asthma control in Nigeria population. Conclusion: Serum IL-13 may be a useful biomarker to assess asthma control in asthmatics
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