All issues > Volume 22(2); 1979

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1979;22(2):100-105. Published online February 15, 1979.

Eosinophils in the Sputum.

Young Chang Tockgo, Jung Jae Yim

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Korea University.

Abstract

The sputum eosinophilia has been observed in various allergic disease of respiratory tract, even non allergic disease, and as well as malignant disease of respiratory tract by several authors in adult patient. This studies were undertaken to evaluate sputum eosinphils in normal and in acute respi ratory tract infection in children. Sputum eosinophils were studied in 10 cases of normal child and in 30 cases of acute respiratory infection. Sputum was liquified by trypsin for 2 hours at 37degrees C in incubator and stained sputum eosinophils with Hinkelman's solution specifically. The stained eosinophils in 1mm3 of sputum were counted by hemocytometer. The results were as follows : 1. Average sputum eosinophil counts in normal child were 120+316 cell/mm3. 2. Average sputum eosinophil counts in acute respiratory tract infection were 10597+/-13207 cell/mm3, which was significantly increased than normal child(p<0.005). 3. Average sptum eosinophil counts in acute bronchitis and bronchiolitis were 10417+/-9295 cell/mm3, 7724+/-6136 cell/mm3 in acute pnemonia, 800 cell/mm3 in bronchial asthma, and 1945+/-2468 cell/mm3 in pulmonary tuberculosis. There were no significant differences of sputum eosinophils between acute respiratory infections. 4. Average sputum eosinophils in acute respiratory infection by different age group were 11178+9632 cell/mm3 below 1 year of age, 8816+/-8933 cell/mm3 in 1~6 years of age, 18798+/-29847 cell/mm3 in 6~10 years of age, and 1400+/-1697 cell/mm3 above 10 years of age. Average sputum eosinophil counts in male patient were 8428+/-9067 cell/mm3, 10597+/-13207 cells/mm3 in female patient. There were no significant differences of sputum eosinophils by age and sex in acute respiratory infection.

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