Abstract:
Objective To investigate the value of combined detection of serum interleukin-25 (IL-25), interleukin-33 (IL-33), C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL-2) and C-C motif chemokine ligand 17 (CCL-17) in children with bronchial asthma.
Methods A total of 91 children diagnosed with bronchial asthma were enrolled into asthma group, and 46 healthy children undergoing routine physical examinations during the same period were included in control group. General clinical data, airway inflammatory markers fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and immunoglobulin E (IgE)and pulmonary function parameters forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), minute resting ventilation (VE) and specific airway resistance (Raw)were comparedbetween the two groups. The levels of serum IL-25, IL-33, CCL-2 and CCL-17 were compared between the two groups. According to the severity of asthma, the patients were further divided into severe asthma subgroup (n=31) and non-severe asthma subgroup (n=60). Spearman correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the association between serum levels of IL-25, IL-33, CCL-2 as well as CCL-17 and the severity of asthma. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for severe exacerbation in children with bronchial asthma. The predictive value of serum IL-25, IL-33, CCL-2 and CCL-17 for severe attacks of bronchial asthma was analyzed by using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.
Results The levels of FeNO, IgE, IL-25, IL-33, CCL-2 CCL-17 and VE in the asthma group were significantly higher than those in the healthy group, while the levels of FVC, FEV1, PEF and Raw were significantly lower than those in the healthy group (P < 0.05). The levels of FeNO, IgE, IL-25, IL-33, CCL-2, CCL-17 and VE in the severe group were significantly higher than those in the non-severe group, while the levels of FVC, FEV1, PEF and Raw were significantly lower than those in the non-severe group (P < 0.05). The levels of serum IL-25, IL-33, CCL-2 and CCL-17 in children of the asthma group were positively correlated with the severity of asthma (r=0.382, 0.416, 0.475, 0.501, P < 0.05). The levels of serum IL-25, IL-33, CCL-2 and CCL-17 were independent influencing factors for severe asthma. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the combined detection of IL-25, IL-33, CCL-2 and CCL-17 was greater than that obtained from each individual biomarker.
Conclusion The combined prediction of serum IL-25, IL-33, CCL-2 and CCL-17 has relatively high value in predicting the development of severe asthma in children with bronchial asthma.