title: Eosinophilic activity and bronchial hyperresponsiveness within an asthmatic paediatric population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our study aims to assess the importance of serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels as a non-invasive marker of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in children with asthma, and may predict objectively the asthmatic severity and sensitivities.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study, which was carried out on 75 asthmatic patients from a paediatric population (average age: nine years old, sex-ratio M/F: 1.64), is based on both interrogation conducted by the clinician and biological explorations, essentially serological testing of ECP and eosinophilia determination, as well as the measurement of serological IgE amounts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis of the questionnaires and the biological results allowed us to evaluate the clinico-biological relations within this population. ECP, more than eosinophilia, proves to be a relevant marker of asthma severity (p<0.05) and sensitivities within this given population (r=0.65).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We were able to show that the evaluation of the serological levels of ECP seems to be a good biological marker of asthma.
authors.affiliation: Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, University of Badji Mokhtar, BP12, SidiAmar, 23000, Annaba, Algeria.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boumendjel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tridon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Messarah
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ughetto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meharzi
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Boulakoud
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000097:blood*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D044382:Population Groups; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein