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Exhaled breath condensate cytokines and pH in pediatric asthma and atopic dermatitis

Luigia Brunetti1, Ruggiero Francavilla, Riccardina Tesse

  • 1Department of Biomedicina dell'Eta' Evolutiva, Pediatric Unit S.Maggiore, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. l.brunetti@pediatria3.uniba.it

Allergy and Asthma Proceedings
|October 18, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH and cytokine levels differ in children with asthma and atopic dermatitis (AD) compared to controls. Inhaled corticosteroids improved EBC pH in asthmatic children, but IL-10 levels were insensitive to treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Allergy and Immunology
  • Biomarker Discovery

Background:

  • Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is a potential noninvasive tool for monitoring airway inflammation in children.
  • Atopic dermatitis (AD) is recognized as a risk factor for asthma development.
  • Understanding EBC profiles in pediatric asthma and AD can inform diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess EBC pH and concentrations of T-helper (Th) 1, Th2, and T regulatory cell-derived cytokines in asthmatic children and those with AD.
  • To investigate the impact of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) on these EBC markers in asthmatic children.
  • To compare EBC profiles between children with asthma, children with AD, and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

  • Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure EBC pH, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and interleukin-10 (IL-10).
  • Measurements were taken in children with asthma (n=20), AD (n=12), and healthy controls (n=20).
  • Asthmatic patients received a 2-week course of flunisolide (500 μg/day) to evaluate treatment response.

Main Results:

  • EBC pH was significantly lower in children with asthma and AD compared to controls (p<0.0001).
  • The IL-4/IFN-γ ratio was elevated in children with asthma and AD (p<0.001) and decreased after ICS treatment in asthmatics (p<0.01).
  • Exhaled IL-10 levels were higher in asthmatic children (p<0.002) but did not change significantly with ICS treatment or in AD patients.

Conclusions:

  • Children with asthma and AD exhibit distinct EBC pH and cytokine profiles compared to healthy children, suggesting shared inflammatory pathways.
  • EBC pH and the IL-4/IFN-γ ratio show potential as biomarkers for airway inflammation and treatment response in pediatric asthma.
  • Exhaled IL-10 levels may differentiate asthmatic children from controls but are not sensitive markers for monitoring ICS therapy in this cohort.

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