Serum eosinophilic cationic protein and high sensitive C-reactive protein as alternative parameters for differentiation of severity stages and monitoring control in bronchial asthma patients

BackgroundHigh sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) have been shown to be associated with asthma in recent studies. However, the relationship between hs-CRP and the control of asthma has not been clearly identified yet.Patients and methodsThirty patients with newly-diagnosed bronchial asthma and 20 healthy individuals were enrolled in this study. In addition to medical history and physical examination, asthma was assessed according to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines. Respiratory function tests (RFT), serum hs-CRP and ECP levels, serum total IgE levels, circulating eosinophil count (CE) and asthma control test (ACT) were performed for all subjects.ResultsSerum ECP, serum hs-CRP, serum total IgE and CE were significantly higher (p < 0.01, 0.01, 0.05 and 0.05, respectively), while forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1 %) and ACT were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in asthmatic patients compared to the control group. In all patients with bronchial asthma, serum levels of hs-CRP and ECP showed significant positive correlations with asthma severity (hs-CRP, rs = 0.59, p < 0.01; ECP, rs = 0.63, p < 0.01, respectively) but, significant negative correlations with ACT (hs-CRP, rs = −0.53, p < 0.05; ECP, rs = −0.62, p < 0.01, respectively) and FEV1 % (hs-CRP, rs = −0.46, p < 0.05; ECP, rs = −0.57, p < 0.01, respectively). Serum ECP and hs-CRP levels showed significant fall (p < 0.01and p < 0.05, respectively), while, FEV1 % and ACT showed significant increase (p < 0.05) in asthmatic patients who were followed up after 2 months of therapy.ConclusionCoupling measurements of serum levels of both ECP and hs-CRP may add a benefit in determining the severity and monitoring of the control of bronchial asthma.