title: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein in the exhaled breath condensate and serum in stable and unstable asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disease. Measurement of serum high- sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels has suggested the involvement of low-grade systemic inflammation in several disorders, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus. In recent years, there have been some reports concerning hs-CRP assessment as a useful tool for detecting systemic inflammation in asthma. The study was undertaken to evaluate hs-CRP levels in the exhaled breath condensate (EBC) of asthmatics with different degrees of asthma severity and their relationship to hs-CRP levels in serum, clinical characteristics, and the intensification of airway inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group was 62 patients with allergic asthma (20 with steroid-naïve mild asthma, 19 with ICS-treated, stable mild-to-moderate asthma, 23 with ICS-treated unstable, severe asthma) and 15 healthy volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the three groups of asthmatics hs-CRP concentrations in EBC and serum were significantly higher than in healthy volunteers. hs-CRP levels both in EBC and serum were significantly higher in patients with unstable asthma than in the two groups with stable disease. hs-CRP concentrations in EBC strongly correlated with those measured in serum. There was a significant correlation between hs-CRP levels both in EBC and serum and exhaled nitric oxide (F(ENO)) in the three groups of asthmatics or serum ECP in the group of patients with steroid-naïve mild asthma and unstable, severe asthma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The levels of hs-CRP in EBC are correlated with those measured in serum and may provide another useful diagnostic tool for detecting and monitoring low-grade inflammation in patients with asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland. z.zietkowski@wp.pl
authors.forename: Ziemowit
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zietkowski
authors.forename: Maria M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Tomasiak-Lozowska
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Skiepko
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mroczko
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szmitkowski
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bodzenta-Lukaszyk
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001944:Breath Tests; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004802:Eosinophilia; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D002097:C-Reactive Protein