Leukotriene B4 and 8-isoprostane in exhaled breath condensate of children with episodic and persistent asthma.
BACKGROUND
Leukotrienes and isoprostanes are biomarkers of airway inflammation and oxidative stress that can be detected in exhaled breath condensate (EBC). The aim of this study was to evaluate leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and 8-isoprostane levels in EBC of healthy and asthmatic children with episodic and moderate persistent asthma.


METHODS
EBC was collected from 62 children aged 6 to 14 years: 22 healthy children, 30 patients with episodic asthma, and 10 patients with moderate persistent asthma, without preventive treatment at the time of enrolment.


RESULTS
LTB concentrations were higher in children with asthma than in healthy controls (50.7 pg/mL vs. 13.68 pg/mL, P < .011). The same was true for children with moderate persistent asthma compared to children with episodic asthma (146.9 pg/mL vs. 18.85 pg/mL, P < .0001), children with moderate persistent asthma compared to healthy controls (146.9 pg/mL vs. 13.68 pg/mL, P < .0001), and children with episodic asthma compared to healthy controls (P, nonsignificant). EBC concentrations of 8-isoprostane were higher in asthmatic than in healthy children (18.3 pg/mL vs. 6.59 pg/mL, P < .026). They were also increased in children with moderate persistent asthma compared to those with episodic asthma (36.25 pg/mL and 12.28 pg/mL, P < .012), and in children with moderate persistent asthma and episodic asthma compared to healthy controls (36.25 pg/mL vs. 6.59 pg/mL [P < .0001] and 12.28 pg/mL versus 6.59 pg/mL [P < .0001], respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
LTB4 and 8-isoprostane concentrations were increased in asthmatic children compared to healthy individuals, with differences detected for 2 degrees of asthma severity. Our findings suggest that EBC is a noninvasive method for airway inflammation and oxidative stress assessment.
Caballero Balanzá
S
S
Unidad de Alergologia, Hospital General Universitario, Valencia, Spain. socaba@alumni.uv.es
Martorell Aragonés
A
A
Cerdá Mir
J C
JC
Belda Ramírez
J
J
Ramírez
J B
JB
Navarro Iváñez
R
R
Navarro Soriano
A
A
Félix Toledo
R
R
Escribano Montaner
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001944:Breath Tests; D002648:Child; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000276:immunology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D007975:Leukotriene B4; C075750:8-epi-prostaglandin F2alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D015237:Dinoprost