Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis.  2005 Jun;15(2):106-116.

Comparisons of Blood Eosinophil Count and Serum ECP between Acute Period and Clinical Remission in Children with Upper Respiratory Infection-induced Wheezing: The Effects of Atopy and Age on These Changes

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
  • 2Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeongju, Korea.
  • 3Department of Pediatrics, Anam Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was undertaken to compare blood eosinophilic inflammatory markers between the acute period and clinical remission in children with upper respiratory infection (URI) -induced wheezing, and to assess the effects of atopy and age on these changes. METHODS: In 77 children with URI-induced wheezing, blood eosinophil count and serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) were measured during the acute wheezing phase and clinical remission period. The data were analyzed in the subgroups divided by atopy and age, respectively. RESULTS: Blood eosinophil count was significantly lower during acute period (181.6/microliter, 67.3-490.0) than that during clinical remission period (261.8/microliter, 120.7-567.7, P=0.001), and this significant eosinopenic response was found in non-atopic children (n=36) [92.2 (41.3-206.0) /microliter vs 204.5 (106.6-392.2) /microliter, P< 0.001], but not in atopic children (n=41). A significantly higher level of serum ECP was observed during acute period (15.1 microgram/L, 7.2-31.6) than during clinical remission (13.0 microgram/L, 6.6-25.7, P=0.05), and this difference was significant only in atopic children[24.2 (15.3-38.1) microgram/L vs 16.2 (8.3-31.6) microgram/L, P< 0.001]. A significant fall in blood eosinophil count during acute period was found only in children < or=4 years (n=37), while a significant rise in serum ECP was detected only in children > 4 years (n=40). However, these differences a due to dissimilar distribution of atopy in the two age groups. CONCLUSION: Our results showed different eosinophil responses to infection in non-atopic and atopic children with URI-induced wheezing. It appears that the blunted eosinopenic response in atopic children may be associated with the predominant Th2-like response to infection.

Keyword

Eosinophil; Infection; Wheezing; Atopy

MeSH Terms

Child*
Eosinophil Cationic Protein
Eosinophils*
Humans
Respiratory Sounds*
Eosinophil Cationic Protein
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