title: Periostin in Exhaled Breath Condensate and in Serum of Asthmatic Patients: Relationship to Upper and Lower Airway Disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Periostin is considered a biomarker for eosinophilic airway inflammation and have been associated with NSAID-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (NERD) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). In this study, we aimed to evaluate periostin in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and in serum of patients with various asthma phenotypes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 40 asthmatic patients (22 with NERD) and 17 healthy controls. All the procedures (questionnaire, spirometry, FeNO, nasal swabs, EBC collecting, and blood sampling) were performed on the same day. Periostin concentrations were measured using an ELISA kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Periostin was detected in EBC from 37 of 40 asthmatics and in 16 from 17 of controls. The concentration of periostin in EBC did not differ between the study groups and was not associated with NERD or asthma severity. However, the EBC periostin was significantly higher in asthmatics with CRS as compared to those without (3.1 vs 2 ng/mL, P=0.046). Patients with positive bacterial culture from nasal swabs had higher EBC periostin concentrations than those without (3.2 vs 2.1 ng/mL; P=0.046). The mean serum periostin level was higher in asthmatics with a 1-year history of exacerbation than in those without (3.2 vs 2.3 ng/mL, P=0.045). Asthmatics with skin manifestation of NSAIDs hypersensitivity had higher serum periostin levels as compared to those without (3.5 vs 2.3 ng/mL; P=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EBC periostin levels seem to reflect intensity of upper airway disease in asthmatics, while serum levels of periostin are associated with asthma activity (exacerbations or FeNO) or NERD subphenotypes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Rheumatology and Allergy, Healthy Ageing Research Centre, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wardzyńska
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Rheumatology and Allergy, Healthy Ageing Research Centre, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.|Department of Rheumatology, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Makowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Rheumatology and Allergy, Healthy Ageing Research Centre, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pawełczyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Rheumatology and Allergy, Healthy Ageing Research Centre, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piechota-Polańczyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Rheumatology and Allergy, Healthy Ageing Research Centre, Medical University of Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Rheumatology and Allergy, Healthy Ageing Research Centre, Medical University of Lodz, Poland. marek.kowalski@csk.umed.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Marek L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kowalski
keywords: Bronchial asthma; exhaled breath condensate; periostin