title: [Peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) and serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) changes in nocturnal asthmatics].
abstract: We have investigated the serum ECP and peak expiratory flow rate in 20 patients with nocturnal asthma. Changes of PEF were measured in every 2 hours around the whole day, and the blood samples were obtained at 4:00 and 16:00 to measure the serum ECP level and the peripheral Eo numbers. In addition, 10 asthmatics as well as normal subjects received methacholine challenge at 4:00 and 16:00. It was found that the PEF reached the lowest point at 4:00 and obviously less than that at 16:00 (187.50 +/- 120.31 L/min vs 313.00 +/- 108.14 L/min, P < 0.05), that the airway reactivity at 4:00 was significantly higher than at 16:00 (P < 0.05) and the difference of MCH-PC20 between the two time points was 0.34 +/- 0.31 mg/ml, that the serum ECP level at 4:00 was obviously higher than that at 16:00 (11.14 +/- 7.40 micrograms/ml vs 5.49 +/- 4.12 micrograms/ml, P < 0.05). The change rate of PEF markedly related to the change of serum ECP between the two time points (r = 0.61, P < 0.05). The findings suggested that the activation of Eo and its release of ECP might be effect of the circadian-rhythmic change of pulmonary functions in nocturnal asthma.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xian.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D012260:Ribonucleases
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D012260:Ribonucleases