Peripheral blood eosinophil counts and bronchial responsiveness.
Bronchial responsiveness (histamine PC20) and peripheral blood eosinophil counts were measured in 23 asthmatic subjects, of whom 14 were atopic and nine non-atopic. In the group as a whole there was an inverse correlation between baseline eosinophil count and histamine PC20 (r = -0.71; p less than 0.001). For atopic subjects a relationship between eosinophil count and histamine PC20 was observed (r = -0.74; p less than 0.01), but there was no correlation between eosinophil count and baseline FEV1 or baseline FEV1 and histamine PC20. For the non-atopic subjects a similar relationship between eosinophil count and histamine PC20 was seen (r = -0.68; p less than 0.05) and a less significant inverse correlation between baseline eosinophil count and baseline FEV1 (r = -0.65; p less than 0.05). These results show a relationship between eosinophil count and non-specific bronchial responsiveness in both atopic and non-atopic asthma.
Taylor
K J
KJ
Department of Thoracic Medicine, Fazakerley Hospital, Liverpool.
Luksza
A R
AR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking