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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Methodology for Sputum Induction and Laboratory Processing
Published on: December 17, 2017
Cysteinyl-leukotriene levels in sputum differentiate asthma from rhinitis patients with or without bronchial
E Tufvesson1, D Aronsson, L Bjermer
1Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. Ellen.Tufvesson@med.lu.se
Background:
We have previously reported that asthma differs from rhinitis with or without bronchial hyperresponsiveness in the perception and degree of lower airway inflammation.
Objective:
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether sputum levels of inflammatory markers could further distinguish these patient groups.
Methods:
Patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis with or without asthma or bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine were investigated. Induced sputum was performed during as well as off season, and analysed for cysteinyl-leukotrienes, hyaluronan, eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and other inflammatory markers.
Results:
Asthmatic patients differentiated from those with rhinitis with or without bronchial hyperresponsiveness in levels of cysteinyl-leukotrienes [geometric mean: 3.3 (lower 95%-upper 95% confidence interval (CI) of geometric mean: 1.9-5.1) vs. 1.4 (0.9-2.2) and 0.7 (0.3-1.6) pg/microg total protein] and hyaluronan [0.30 (0.22-0.43) vs. 0.15 (0.10-0.20) and 0.20 (0.12-0.35) ng/microg total protein] in sputum. The levels of cysteinyl-leukotrienes decreased in sputum from the asthmatic patients, while the levels of hyaluronan remained elevated off-season. Furthermore, elevated levels of ECP were noticed among both the asthmatic and rhinitis patients with hyperresponsiveness compared with controls [0.022 (0.014-0.033) and 0.015 (0.011-0.021) compared with 0.010 (0.007-0.014) ng/microg total protein]. The level of ECP remained elevated off season.
Conclusion:
Cysteinyl-leukotrienes are possibly more related to mast cell-mediated inflammation and remodelling, also indicated by increased levels of hyaluronan during and off season. This inflammation may be partly different from the eosinophil-driven inflammation.
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