All issues > Volume 36(12); 1993

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1993;36(12):1707-1715. Published online December 15, 1993.

Eosinophil Cationic Protein in Relation to Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness in Asthmatic Children

Jin Tack JT Kim¹, Joon Sung JS Lee¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

The eosinophil is the major cell responsible for the inflammatory reaction in bronchial asthma. Secretion of granular components is probably of considerable importance for the inflammatory effects of the eosinophils, Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is the one of the secretory components of the eosinophil granule and is considered as an activation marker of eosinophil, Blood eosinophil count, serum concentration of ECP and serum IgE were studied in normal, symptomatic and asymptomatic asthmatic children. In symptomatic asthma, peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was studied and methacholine challenge test was done in asymptomatic asthma in addition. Blood eosinophil count and serum ECP in asthma were significantly raised compared with those of the normal children. And the level of serum ECP in symptomatic asthma was higher than that in asymptomatic asthma. The mean % fall of PEFR was significantly correlated with serum ECP and blood eosinophil count in symptomatic asthma. In asymptomatic asthma, there was no correlations between methacholine PC20 and blood eosinophil count or methachloine PC20 and serum ECP level. Our findings show that blood eosinophil count and serum ECP levels differ not only between normal children and asthmatic children, but also between symptomatic asthma and asymptomatic asthma.

Keywords :Asthma, Eosinophil, Eosinophil Cationic Protein, Bronchial hyperresponsiveness