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Updated: May 26, 2026
05:31
Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
Published on: August 7, 2017
Elevated inflammatory markers at preschool age precede persistent wheezing at school age
Kim D G van de Kant1, Maria A Jansen, Ester M M Klaassen
1Department of Paediatric Pulmonology, School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands. kim.vande.kant@mumc.nl
Summary
Preschool children with persistent wheeze show elevated airway inflammation markers. These findings suggest early detection of asthma risk in young children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Immunology
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Wheezing in preschool children is a heterogeneous symptom, making it difficult to predict persistence or development into asthma.
- Early identification of children at risk for persistent wheezing is crucial for timely intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between preschool inflammatory markers in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and pre/post-bronchodilator interrupter resistance (Rint) with school-age wheezing phenotypes.
- To identify early indicators of persistent wheezing in preschool children.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 230 children from the Asthma DEtection and Monitoring (ADEM) study.
- Assessment of pre- and post-bronchodilator Rint and measurement of EBC inflammatory markers (IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, sICAM) at preschool age.
- Classification of children into never, early-transient, or persistent wheezing phenotypes at 5 years of age based on longitudinal data.
Main Results:
- Persistent wheezers exhibited elevated levels of all measured interleukins at preschool age compared to never wheezers (p < 0.05).
- No significant differences in EBC markers were observed between persistent and transient wheezers.
- Interrupter resistance (Rint) did not show marked differences across the wheezing phenotypes.
Conclusions:
- Children with persistent wheeze at age 5 already demonstrate elevated exhaled inflammatory markers in preschool.
- These findings indicate augmented airway inflammation in preschool children who develop persistent wheezing.
- Early inflammatory markers in EBC may serve as potential biomarkers for predicting persistent wheezing phenotypes.
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