Increased levels of BAL cysteinyl leukotrienesinacute [corrected] RSV bronchiolitis.
BACKGROUND
Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs), including LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4, are pivotal mediators in the pathophysiology of asthma.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether CysLT levels are increased in the lower airways of children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis, as they are in asthmatic children, and to investigate a possible heterogeneity in CysLT levels in children with RSV bronchiolitis.


METHODS
Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids were obtained from children with acute RSV bronchiolitis (n = 20), from children with acute asthma who had no identifiable virus infection (n = 16) and from control subjects (n = 14). BAL cell counts and differentials were determined, and the concentrations of CysLTs were measured by ELISA.


RESULTS
CysLT levels in the asthma (70.6 +/- 52.7 pg/ml, p < 0.001) and bronchiolitis groups (21.9 +/- 23.3 pg/ml, p < 0.05) were significantly higher than in the control group (8.7 +/- 5.2 pg/ml). Among bronchiolitis subjects, the eosinophil-positive subgroup (n = 6) showed significantly higher CysLT levels (49.0 +/- 26.7 pg/ml, p = 0.001) than the control group, but this was not observed in the eosinophil-negative subgroup (n = 14, 10.3 +/- 6.3 pg/ml, p = 0.47).


CONCLUSIONS
CysLT levels are increased in the lower airways during RSV bronchiolitis, although their intensities are lower than those in acute asthma. Among bronchiolitis subjects, high CysLT producers could be distinguished from low CysLT producers by the presence of eosinophilia in BAL fluids, suggesting a pathophysiological heterogeneity in RSV bronchiolitis.
Kim
Chang Keun
CK
Department of Paediatrics, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Koh
Ji Yeon
JY
Han
Tae Hee
TH
Kim
Do Kyun
DK
Kim
Beyong Il
BI
Koh
Young Yull
YY
D000208:Acute Disease; D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001990:Bronchiolitis, Viral / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004804:Eosinophils; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013189:SRS-A / Q000032:analysis*
D013189:SRS-A