[Serum levels and clinical values of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in patients with nasal polyps]

To assess the role of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in etiology of nasal polyps.

Twenty-nine patients with nasal polyps and 20 healthy control cases were chosen. Their serum sICAM-1 was determined by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All patients were treated by glucocorticoid, serum sICAM-1 was determined post-treatment again.

(1) Serum levels of sICAM-1 in patients with nasal polyps were higher than that of control group: (2) Serum levels of sICAM-1 in patients were reduced after glucocorticoid treatment, the decrease of sICAM-1 was more apparent in evident-effect group than in effect group; (3) There was a close correlation between the decrease of polyp-size scores and the decrease of serum sICAM-1.

The elevated expressions of sICAM-1 in patients with nasal polyps indicate its important role in eosinophil recruitment, which was considered as a representative hallmark for nasal polyps. The sICAM-1 is down-regulated by systemic and topical glucocorticoid treatment and the decrease of sICAM-1 is correlated with clinical effect. To take these lines of evidence together, anti-adhesion therapy may be effective for nasal polyps, serum sICAM-1 levels may be use to monitor the effect of steroid therapy in nasal polyps.