title: Increased sputum levels of thymus and activation-regulated chemokine in children with asthma not eosinophilic bronchitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), a member of the CC chemokine family, plays a crucial role in Th2-specific inflammation. We aimed to determine the concentration of sputum TARC in children with asthma and eosinophilic bronchitis (EB) and its relation with eosinophilic inflammation, pulmonary function, and bronchial hyper-responsiveness.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 90 children with asthma, 38 with EB, and 45 control subjects were enrolled. TARC levels were measured in sputum supernatants using an ELISA. We performed pulmonary function tests and measured exhaled fractional nitric oxide, eosinophil counts in blood, and sputum and serum levels of total IgE in all children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sputum TARC levels were significantly higher in children with asthma than in either children with EB (p=0.004) or the control subjects (p=0.014). Among patients with asthma, sputum TARC concentration was higher in children with sputum eosinophilia than in those without sputum eosinophilia (p=0.035). Sputum TARC levels positively correlated with eosinophil counts in sputum, serum total IgE levels, exhaled fractional nitric, and the bronchodilator response. Negative significant correlations were found between sputum TARC and FEV1/FVC (the ratio of forced expiratory volume in one second and forced expiratory vital capacity) or PC20(the provocative concentration of methacholine causing a 20% decrease in the FEV1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated TARC levels in sputum were detected in children with asthma but not in children with EB. Sputum TARC could be a supportive marker for discrimination of asthma from EB in children showing characteristics of eosinophilic airway inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Severance Hospital, Institute of Allergy, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Severance Hospital, Institute of Allergy, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Severance Hospital, Institute of Allergy, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Sol
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Severance Hospital, Institute of Allergy, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Severance Hospital, Institute of Allergy, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Severance Hospital, Institute of Allergy, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Severance Hospital, Institute of Allergy, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Severance Hospital, Institute of Allergy, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Severance Hospital, Institute of Allergy, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: mhsohn@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Severance Hospital, Institute of Allergy, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: K-E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D054414:Chemokine CCL17 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011657:Pulmonary Eosinophilia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C106230:CCL17 protein, human; D054414:Chemokine CCL17
keywords: Asthma; Biomarkers; Bronchitis; Chemokine; Child; Sputum; Thymus and activation-regulated chemokine