Biomarkers of Inflammation in Peripheral Blood during Treatment with Inhaled Corticosteroids in Patients with Asthma

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The main attribute of asthma is inflammation, which leads to airway remodelling, bronchial hyper-reactivity and reversible or partly reversible airway obstruction. According to GINA, asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways in which many cells play a role, in particular, mast cells, eosinophils (Eo), and T lymphocytes. Many cells and mediators take part in creating the asthmatic inflammatory reaction, but eosinophils play a central role.AIM: The aim of this study was to show the values of biological inflammatory markers (IL-5, Eo, and ECP) during treatment with ICS by non-invasive methods.MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study includes 30 patients of the Pulmonology and Allergology Clinic, Skopje, with confirmed asthma, treated with ICS. In all of the patients, we followed Eo count, ECP and IL-5 in peripheral blood at the beginning of the study, after 2 and six months treatment. Following the parameters during treatment with ICS we registered changes in all of the tested parameters.RESULTS: Our results show high level of the tested biomarkers at the beginning of the study, IL-5 in all patients (100%), Eosinophils in 80%, and ECP in 90% of the asthmatics. Following the parameters during treatment with ICS we registered changes in all of the tested parameters.CONCLUSIONS: Our conclusion is that the ICS objectively suppress the inflammatory reaction in asthma and the biologic markers (IL-5, Eo and ECP), which we have followed, can measure the accomplished effect. They could be used in everyday practice, not only as diagnostic parameters but also as valid therapeutic guides in the treatment of asthma.