The Study Of Clinical Value Of Eotaxin And Albumin In Induced Sputum Of Asthmatics

Asthma is a chronic disease of the airway, characterized by variable airway obstruction and airway hyperresponsiveness to various stimulus. The chemokine may have a great influence on airway inflammation and reversible obstructive airways. Objective The aim of this study was to explore the clinical value of eotaxin and albumin by measuring their concentrations and counting inflammatory cells in asthmatic sputum , and to evaluate the usefulness of induced sputum as a non-invasive alternative for studying changes in airway inflammation in patients with asthma. Our aim was also to survey the characteristics of airway inflammation in asthmatic patients, and to assess the interrelations among inflammatory cells, inflammatory mediators and pulmonary function.Methods During November,2004 to March,2005 ,twenty asthmatics with acute exacerbation, twenty patients with stable asthma who had been inhaling 400ug Budesonide twice daily at least for two months and ten healthy controls were enrolled randomly into the study. They were all non-smokers. Pulmonary function was performed first. Sputum induction was performed by inhalation of hypertonic saline (4%NaCl) after premedication with inhaled salbutamol 400μg as described previously. Lung function was carefully monitored by spirometry every 5 minutes during induction to ascertain safety of the procedure. Weigh the sputum and the collected sputum was diluted fivefold respectively in DDT and phosphate-buffered saline in order to homogenize the suspension. After centrifugation, the supernatant was stored at -80℃. Smeared sputum sediment and then stained the slide using the Wright method. Total and different cell counts were performed though standard methods. Eotaxin level was measured in sputum supernatant by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and albumin level was measured by radioimmunoassay kit.