The authors aimed to assess Thl (T-helper cell 1)/Th2 (T-helper cell 2) balance, through evaluation of serum IFN-γ (interferon gamma) and IL-4 (interleukin 4), during asthma exacerbation and study the effect ...The authors aimed to assess Thl (T-helper cell 1)/Th2 (T-helper cell 2) balance, through evaluation of serum IFN-γ (interferon gamma) and IL-4 (interleukin 4), during asthma exacerbation and study the effect of anti inflammatory therapy. A randomized prospective case-control study was designed. The sludy included 30 asthmatic patients, aging 8-14 years. All were diagnosed as partly controlled asthmatics. Twenty, age and sex matched, healthy children were included in the study as control group All participants were subjected to medical history, clinical examination, pulmonary function testing, eosinophilic blood counting, estimation of serum interleukine-4 and interferon gamma. Patients were treated for 6 weeks with 2 different anti inflammatory drugs. All methods were then repeated for follow up. IL-4 serum level was significantly higher in subjects with partly controlled asthma than in control subjects (P = 0.01), and then in asthmatic patients after therapy (P = 0.0000), while IFN-), serum level was significantly lower in subjects with partly controlled asthma than in control subjects (P = 0.01), and than in asthmatic patients after therapy (P = 0.0000). Interferon gamma showed a significant negative correlation with IL-4 among the healthy control group (r = -0.559, P = 0.010). Both LTA (leukotriene antagonist) and ICS (inhaled corticosteroids) therapy lead to significant improvement, but there were no statistically significant differences (P 〉 0.05) between them as regard the pulmonary functions and the laboratory evaluating parameters. Both serum levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ, could be used as a reliable inflammatory biomarker for the evaluation and follow up of asthmatic patients.展开更多
文摘The authors aimed to assess Thl (T-helper cell 1)/Th2 (T-helper cell 2) balance, through evaluation of serum IFN-γ (interferon gamma) and IL-4 (interleukin 4), during asthma exacerbation and study the effect of anti inflammatory therapy. A randomized prospective case-control study was designed. The sludy included 30 asthmatic patients, aging 8-14 years. All were diagnosed as partly controlled asthmatics. Twenty, age and sex matched, healthy children were included in the study as control group All participants were subjected to medical history, clinical examination, pulmonary function testing, eosinophilic blood counting, estimation of serum interleukine-4 and interferon gamma. Patients were treated for 6 weeks with 2 different anti inflammatory drugs. All methods were then repeated for follow up. IL-4 serum level was significantly higher in subjects with partly controlled asthma than in control subjects (P = 0.01), and then in asthmatic patients after therapy (P = 0.0000), while IFN-), serum level was significantly lower in subjects with partly controlled asthma than in control subjects (P = 0.01), and than in asthmatic patients after therapy (P = 0.0000). Interferon gamma showed a significant negative correlation with IL-4 among the healthy control group (r = -0.559, P = 0.010). Both LTA (leukotriene antagonist) and ICS (inhaled corticosteroids) therapy lead to significant improvement, but there were no statistically significant differences (P 〉 0.05) between them as regard the pulmonary functions and the laboratory evaluating parameters. Both serum levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ, could be used as a reliable inflammatory biomarker for the evaluation and follow up of asthmatic patients.