title: [Relationship between eosinophils in nasal discharge and responses to treatment of inhaled glucocorticosteroid in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the treatment responses of persistent allergic rhinitis with and without eosinophils (EOS) in nasal discharge to inhaled glucocorticosteroid (CS), and therefore to verify whether low eosinophil level in nasal discharge can predict poor response to treatment with CS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two symptomatic allergic rhinitis patients, who had not received CS therapy in three months preceding the study, were examined before and 2 month, 4 months and 6 months after treatment with CS. At each visit, all patients underwent symptom scoring and physical sign scoring. The level of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in the nasal discharge supernatants was measured by radioimmunoassay. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to nasal discharge EOS percentages, an EOS group (EOS > or = 3%) and a non-EOS group (EOS < 3%). The response to CS therapy (as measured by symptom and physical sign scores) and the changes of nasal discharge measurements were compared between the 2 groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the EOS group, the baseline EOS [0.086 (0.065; 0.176)] and ECP level [(326 +/- 145) microg/L] were significantly higher than EOS [0.016 (0.005; 0.022)] and ECP level [(154 +/- 58) microg/L] of the non-EOS group, t = 4.40, 3.32, respectively, all P < 0.01. After 2 months and 6 months of CS therapy, the nasal discharge EOS, ECP level were 0.038 (0.006; 0.070), 0.019 (0.010; 0.060), (175 +/- 122) microg/L, (175 +/- 153) microg/L, respectively in the EOS group,which were significantly different as compared to baseline values (F = 6.73, 7.38, respectively all P < 0.05). But in the non-EOS group, the nasal discharge EOS and ECP level were 0.014 (0.004; 0.032), 0.015 (0.010; 0.026), (118 +/- 60) microg/L, (112 +/- 60) microg/L, respectively at 2 and 6 months, which showed that the nasal discharge EOS level and the symptom and physical sign scores did not improve significantly (F = 0.82, P > 0.05), but the ECP level did improve (F = 3.78, P < 0.05). The average daily dose of CS was not different between the two groups at any visits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In persistent allergic rhinitis with low EOS in nasal discharge, CS therapy for 6 months failed to improve symptoms and physical signs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei arts and science, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Xiangyang, 441021, China. lh07103999370@163.com
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Jianbin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Nengbing
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Pengju
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Weijia
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kong
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein