Bronchoalveolar lavage eosinophil cationic protein and interleukin-8 levels in acute asthma and acute bronchiolitis.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we measured the levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and interleukin (IL)-8 in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from patients with acute asthma and acute bronchiolitis, to determine any similarities or dissimilarities in the profiles of these biochemical markers in the two diseases.


METHODS
BAL fluids were obtained from children with acute asthma (n=16), infants with acute bronchiolitis caused by respiratory syncytial virus (n=18), and control subjects (n=14). Children with asthma were selected to be free of viral infection. BAL cell counts and differentials were determined, and ECP and IL-8 levels were measured by radioimmunoassay and ELISA, respectively.


RESULTS
ECP levels in BAL fluids were significantly higher in the asthma group than in the bronchiolitis (P<0.01) or control (P<0.0001) groups. However, IL-8 levels were significantly higher in the bronchiolitis group than in the asthma (P<0.01) or control (P<0.001) groups. IL-8 levels in the asthma group and ECP levels in the bronchiolitis group were similar to those of the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
This difference in profiles of ECP and IL-8 in acute asthma and acute bronchiolitis, together with a different inflammatory cell pattern, suggests that the nature of the inflammatory process within the lower respiratory tract may be distinctive in these two diseases.
Kim
Chang Keun
CK
Department of Pediatrics, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Sang Woo
SW
Kim
Young-Ki
YK
Kang
Hee
H
Yu
Jinho
J
Yoo
Young
Y
Koh
Young Yull
YY
D000208:Acute Disease; D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism*; D001988:Bronchiolitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods; D002675:Child, Preschool; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000737:chemistry
D016209:Interleukin-8; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein