title: Serum eosinophil-derived neurotoxin: correlation with persistent airflow limitation in adults with house-dust mite allergic asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The serum level of eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN), a protein present in eosinophil granules, correlates with the severity of childhood asthma. However, the relationship between the serum EDN level and the severity of adult asthma has not been sufficiently investigated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to elucidate the correlation between the serum EDN level and markers of severity in adult asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects comprised 83 adult patients who had asthma and who were undergoing treatment. Of these patients, 40 were positive for house-dust-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies; 9 patients with severe adult asthma who were treated with omalizumab were included in the study. We measured the blood eosinophil count, serum EDN, and eosinophil cationic protein levels before investigating the correlations of these parameters with lung function and symptom score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant correlations between the blood eosinophil count or serum EDN or eosinophil cationic protein level with lung function and the symptom score in patients with asthma. However, serum EDN level was inversely correlated with the decrease percentage forced expiratory volume in 1 second (%FEV1) in patients positive for house-dust-specific IgE antibody (R = -0.54; p < 0.05), whereas no such correlation was observed in patients with negative results for house-dust-specific IgE antibody (R = 0.11; p = 0.468). A significant correlation was observed between a decrease in serum EDN level from baseline and lung function improvement after 8 weeks of omalizumab therapy (R = -0.77; p = 0.015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum EDN level may be a useful marker for monitoring persistent airflow limitation in adult patients with asthma who had positive results for house-dust-specific IgE antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gon
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: Hisato
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hiranuma
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kumasawa
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kozu
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shintani
authors.forename: Tsuboi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eriko
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Soda
authors.forename: Shuichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maruoka
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D015415:Biomarkers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000097:blood; D047208:Eosinophil-Derived Neurotoxin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069444:Omalizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D000069444:Omalizumab; D047208:Eosinophil-Derived Neurotoxin; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein