title: Tumour necrosis factor-alpha concentration in severely asthmatic children.
abstract: We assessed tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) concentrations in 80 asthmatic children, 26 with severe asthma in early-phase reaction, 26 with severe asthma in late-phase reaction, 28 with severe asthma controlled in between attacks with oral prednisone and 20 matched control children. TNF-alpha was measured in patients' plasma and in a supernatant of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated (LPS) peripheral blood mononuclear (PBM) cells. TNF-alpha concentrations in plasma and the supernatant of LPS-stimulated cells were positively correlated and the concentration also correlated positively with the time lapse between the start of the asthma attack and the time of blood sampling. TNF-alpha concentration was significantly higher in the late-phase reaction group compared to the other groups, indicating a need to counteract its release and/or effects early in asthma patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Massoud
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: el-Nawawy
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: el-Nazar
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Abdel-Rahman
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D011241:Prednisone / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D011241:Prednisone