HsCRP levels: measurement of airway inflammation in asthmatic children.
BACKGROUND
The inflammatory marker, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HsCRP), is known to be related to non-allergic asthma, obesity, cardiovascular disease and smoking in adults. The aim of the present study was to determine whether HsCRP is related to respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function test findings in asthmatic children.


METHODS
HsCRP was measured in 63 asthmatic children aged 2-12 years. The measurements were performed in 37 children during an episode of acute exacerbation and in 42 children during remission.


RESULTS
HsCRP level (14.28 +/- 8.45 mg/L) during exacerbation was significantly higher than the mean level (1.92 +/- 3.16 mg/L) during remission (P < 0.0001), with the decrease being more prominent in children with a low body mass index percentile (P < 0.05). A reciprocal relationship was found between forced expiratory volume in 1 s and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein values (P > 0.049).


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated HsCRP levels were significantly associated with respiratory impairment in children.
Soferman
Ruth
R
Pediatric Pulmonology Unit, Dana Children's Hospital, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. soferman@post.tau.ac.il
Glatstein
Miguel
M
Sivan
Yakov
Y
Weisman
Yosef
Y
D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000097:blood
D002097:C-Reactive Protein