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Serum Eosinophil Cationic Protein (ECP) as a Biomarker for Distinguishing Pediatric Allergic Airway Diseases
Xiaolin Chen1,2, Siyu Tan1, Qinxue Lu1
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Insights
Serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is a useful biomarker for diagnosing pediatric allergic airway diseases like asthma and rhinitis. Elevated ECP levels correlate with inflammation and impaired lung function, aiding in diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Allergic airway diseases in children, including allergic asthma (AA) and allergic rhinitis (AR), pose significant health challenges.
- Accurate diagnosis and monitoring of eosinophil-mediated inflammation are crucial for effective management.
- Existing biomarkers may require enhancement for improved diagnostic specificity and sensitivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) as a diagnostic biomarker for pediatric allergic airway diseases.
- To assess the correlation between serum ECP levels and disease severity, allergen sensitization, and pulmonary function.
- To determine the diagnostic performance of serum ECP, alone and in combination with total IgE, for allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving children aged 1-17 years with allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, acute bronchitis, and healthy controls.
- Measurement of serum ECP, total IgE, eosinophil counts, allergen sensitization, and lung function parameters.
- Utilized receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to assess diagnostic performance and examined biomarker correlations.
Main Results:
- Serum ECP levels were significantly elevated in children with allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, and acute bronchitis compared to healthy controls.
- A marked elevation in serum ECP was observed between allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis patients.
- Combined ECP and IgE demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for allergic asthma (AUC = 0.9494) and allergic rhinitis (AUC = 0.9501).
- Higher serum ECP correlated with increased allergen sensitization and impaired pulmonary function, particularly small airway indices.
Conclusions:
- Serum ECP effectively reflects eosinophil-mediated airway inflammation in pediatric allergic airway diseases.
- ECP serves as a valuable auxiliary biomarker, enhancing diagnostic performance for pediatric allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis.
- The combination of ECP and IgE offers improved diagnostic accuracy, supporting its clinical utility.
Abstract:
This study evaluated serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) as a biomarker for pediatric allergic airway diseases. A cross-sectional analysis was performed on children (1-17 years) with allergic asthma (AA, n = 124), allergic rhinitis (AR, n = 74), acute bronchitis (AB, n = 72), and healthy controls (HC, n = 58). Serum ECP, total IgE, eosinophil counts, allergen sensitization, and lung function were measured. Diagnostic performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and correlations among biomarkers were examined. Compared with HC, serum ECP levels were significantly elevated across all disease groups (AA, AR, and AB), with a particularly marked difference observed between AA and AR patients (p < 0.0001). The combination of ECP and IgE significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy for AA (AUC = 0.9494) and AR (AUC = 0.9501). Higher ECP levels were associated with increased sensitization to specific inhalant allergens and impaired pulmonary function, particularly in small airway indices. Serum ECP reflects eosinophil-mediated airway inflammation and enhances diagnostic performance for pediatric AA and AR, supporting its role as an auxiliary biomarker in evaluating pediatric allergic airway diseases.
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