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Eosinophilic activity and bronchial hyperresponsiveness within an asthmatic paediatric population
A Boumendjel1, A Tridon, M Messarah
1Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, University of Badji Mokhtar, BP12, SidiAmar, 23000, Annaba, Algeria.
Background:
Our study aims to assess the importance of serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels as a non-invasive marker of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in children with asthma, and may predict objectively the asthmatic severity and sensitivities.
Methods:
This study, which was carried out on 75 asthmatic patients from a paediatric population (average age: nine years old, sex-ratio M/F: 1.64), is based on both interrogation conducted by the clinician and biological explorations, essentially serological testing of ECP and eosinophilia determination, as well as the measurement of serological IgE amounts.
Results:
The analysis of the questionnaires and the biological results allowed us to evaluate the clinico-biological relations within this population. ECP, more than eosinophilia, proves to be a relevant marker of asthma severity (p<0.05) and sensitivities within this given population (r=0.65).
Conclusion:
We were able to show that the evaluation of the serological levels of ECP seems to be a good biological marker of asthma.
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