title: Increased IL-6 and IL-4 in exhaled breath condensate of patients with nasal polyposis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nasal polyposis (NP) occurs in about 1-4% of the worldwide population. Increased plasma concentrations of different pro-inflammatory cytokines have been observed in NP, and might be related to the pathogenesis of this syndrome. The present study was designed to investigate IL-6 and IL-4 concentrations in nasal and oral exhaled breath condensate of patients with early and advanced NP, and following polypectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten individuals with polyposis in early status, twenty-three patients affected by advanced status of NP and ten healthy controls were enrolled into the study. Exhaled breath condensate was collected by all individuals, according to a previous standardised method. An immunoassay kit was used to measure IL-6 and IL-4 levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Concentrations of oral and nasal exhaled IL-6 and IL-4 were significantly higher in patients with early nasal polyposis and advanced nasal polyposis, compared to healthy controls. A statistically significant decrease of nasally but not of orally exhaled IL-6 (p < 0.001) and IL-4 (p < 0.05) was observed after polypectomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We consider oral and nasal exhaled condensate of IL-6 and IL-4 as valid inflammatory and oxidative stress marker in patients with nasal polyposis.
authors.affiliation: Section of Respiratory Diseases, Department of Occupational and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Foggia. ge.carpagnano@unifg.it
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Carpagnano
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carratú
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gelardi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spanevello
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Gioia
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Condreva
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Resta
authors.forename: M P Foschino
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Barbaro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004724:Endoscopy; D045853:Exhalation; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D025363:Rhinomanometry; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D015847:Interleukin-4