title: Biomarkers of neutrophilic inflammation in exhaled air of cystic fibrosis children with bacterial airway infections.
abstract: Leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) are inflammatory mediators involved in the neutrophil response to pulmonary bacterial colonization in cystic fibrosis (CF). The aim of this study was to investigate whether the LTB(4) and IL-8 levels in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) could be related to the type of bacterial colonization in CF patients. The pH level in EBC was analyzed as an estimate of airway acidification. Forty children were evaluated: 10 CF patients with P. aeruginosa, 10 CF patients with S. aureus, 10 not colonized CF patients, and 10 healthy children. LTB(4) and IL-8 in EBC were analyzed by specific enzyme immunoassay kits (EIA). The pH of EBC was measured with a pH-meter after deareation by bubbling with argon. Exhaled LTB(4) was higher in CF children with P. aeruginosa compared to those with S. aureus (P < 0.01), not colonized (P < 0.001), and healthy children (P < 0.01). Exhaled IL-8 was elevated in CF patients colonized by P. aeruginosa compared with other subgroups (vs. not colonized, P < 0.05; vs. healthy children, P < 0.001). IL-8 levels were higher in CF children with S. aureus than in healthy children (P < 0.05). There was an increase in IL-8 levels in not colonized CF patients compared with healthy children (P < 0.05). EBC pH was higher in healthy children compared to CF patients not colonized (P < 0.05). Our data suggest that EBC is suitable for evaluating neutrophil inflammatory mediators (LTB(4), IL-8, and pH) involved in the response to pulmonary bacterial colonization in CF children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bodini
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Orazio
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peroni
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corradi
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Folesani
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baraldi
authors.forename: Barouk M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Assael
authors.forename: Attilio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boner
authors.forename: Giorgio L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Piacentini
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001944:Breath Tests; D002648:Child; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000276:immunology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016209:Interleukin-8; D007975:Leukotriene B4