[Exercise-induced pathophysiological changes in asthmatic children. VIII. The changes of specific gravity of...

In order to investigate the mechanism of exercise-induced asthma (EIA) from the aspect of eosinophil function, we determined the changes in the peripheral eosinophil count and the specific gravity of the eosinophils in EIA patients, and also as a parameter of endocrine function, we determined the serum cortisol level. All parameters were analyzed in respect to time before and after inducement of exercise. The subjects selected for this study were 14 asthmatic children, an EIA positive group consisting of 8 subjects and 6 subjects in an EIA negative group. Eosinophil counts with a specific gravity less than 1.0825 gm/ml were recorded in respect to the time sequence of 15, 30, and 60 minutes after inducement of exercise. The eosinophil counts recorded were significantly higher in the EIA positive group in comparison to the EIA negative group. With progression of time after inducement of exercise, the number of eosinophils observed with a specific gravity of less than 1.0825 gm/ml tended to increase in the EIA positive group when compared to the results recorded before inducement of exercise. In respect to the course of time, 15 minutes after inducement of exercise, the serum cortisol level tended to decrease. At the point of 7 hours after inducement of exercise, the serum cortisol levels in the EIA positive group were significantly lower than the EIA negative group. These findings suggest that eosinophils and the endocrine system play an important role in EIA.