Exercise increases exhaled breath condensate cysteinyl leukotriene concentration in asthmatic patients.
BACKGROUND
Although the importance of cysteinyl leukotrienes (Cys-LTs) in exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is supported by various sources of evidence, how the concentration of these mediators change during the development of EIB has not been investigated.


OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to determine the effect of exercise on the concentration of airway Cys-LT in asthmatic patients by measuring Cys-LT in exhaled breath condensate (EBC).


METHODS
Seventeen atopic asthmatic patients with a previous history of EIB and six healthy volunteers were studied. Before and two times within 10 minutes after exercise challenge, FEV₁ was measured and EBC was collected for Cys-LT measurement. Exhaled nitric oxide level, a marker of airway inflammation, was also determined at baseline.


RESULTS
Baseline Cys-LT level was higher in the asthmatic group versus healthy subjects (168 pg/mL /112-223/ vs. 77 pg/mL /36-119/, p = .03). EBC Cys-LT concentration increased in all asthmatic patients post-exercise (n = 17, p = .03), with the increase significantly greater in patients developing exercise-induced bronchospasm (n = 7, p = .03), whereas no change was observed in healthy controls (p = .59). The exercise-induced fall in FEV(1) in asthmatics was related to the increase in EBC Cys-LT concentration (r = -0.40, p = .03).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study shows that Cys-LT concentration of EBC is elevated minutes after physical exercise in asthmatic patients and strongly supports the concept that the release of this mediator is involved in the development of EIB.
Bikov
András
A
Department of Pulmonology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
Gajdócsi
Réka
R
Huszár
Éva
É
Szili
Balázs
B
Lázár
Zsófia
Z
Antus
Balázs
B
Losonczy
György
G
Horváth
Ildikó
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001250:Asthma, Exercise-Induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001944:Breath Tests; D003545:Cysteine / Q000032:analysis*; D005080:Exercise Test; D045853:Exhalation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D015289:Leukotrienes / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D055815:Young Adult
D015289:Leukotrienes; C112381:cysteinyl-leukotriene; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D003545:Cysteine