[Bronchial asthma pediatric field].
The role of eosinophils and their activation products in the development of asthma in children has been reviewed, based on the recent data from our laboratory. The levels of the peripheral blood eosinophils and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and bronchial sensitivity to methacholine (PC20) were compared among three groups: Group A, mite-sensitive asthmatic children, Group B, mite-sensitive non-asthmatic children having the same level of IgE antibody against mite(Df) as Group A, and Group C, mite-insensitive normal control children. Group A had significantly higher eosinophil and ECP levels than Group B, and Group B had also higher levels than Group C. The PC20 values in Group A were significantly lower than those in Group B, and the values in Group B were also significantly lower than those in Group C. These results have suggested that activation of eosinophil is an important contributing factor for the development of asthma in children in addition to allergic sensitization.
Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba.
M
M
Shibasaki
K
K
Takeda
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D002648:Child; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology; D012260:Ribonucleases
D001798:Blood Proteins; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D012260:Ribonucleases