title: Eosinophilic inflammation assessed by induced sputum in corticosteroid-dependent asthma.
abstract: Sputum induction can be used to study airway inflammation in asthmatics. However, it has not been used in patients with corticosteroid-dependent asthma requiring long-term oral corticosteroids. The aim of the study was to assess the number of eosinophils and the levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in sputum of 17 corticosteroid-dependent asthmatics by comparison with nine mild untreated asthmatics, 10 moderate asthmatics receiving inhaled steroids (ICS) and 11 healthy subjects. In the 17 corticosteroid-dependent asthmatics, we examined sputum eosinophil markers on two occasions and correlated with the control of asthma. Eosinophils were undetectable in controls and were detected in 63.8% of asthmatics. There were no significant differences between the three groups of asthmatics. ECP levels were significantly increased in ICS or corticosteroid-dependent asthmatics by comparison to controls and mild asthmatics. There was no significant difference between ICS and corticosteroid-dependent asthmatics. During follow-up, corticosteroid-dependent asthmatics with a controlled disease had no significant change in eosinophil numbers or ECP levels. On the other hand, corticosteroid-dependent asthmatics with recent exacerbations had a non-significant increase in eosinophil numbers and a significant increase in ECP levels. This study shows that ECP levels may be more accurate than eosinophil numbers in assessing exacerbations in corticosteroid-dependent asthmatics.
authors.affiliation: Service des Maladies Respiratoires, INSERM U454, Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tarodo de la Fuente
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romagnoli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carlsson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Godard
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bousquet
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chanez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D004804:Eosinophils; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008875:Middle Aged; D011657:Pulmonary Eosinophilia / Q000473:pathology*; D012260:Ribonucleases; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology*; D013256:Steroids
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D013256:Steroids; D012260:Ribonucleases