The serum eosinophil cationic protein concentration in patients with bronchial asthma and its correlation with severity and exacerbation of the disease

Summary: Activated eosinophilic leukocyte in asthma secrete numerous mediators, among which is ECP as well. The object of our study was to measure the serum ECP concentrations in 46 asthmatic patients with exacerabating and stable asthma, and to correlate the serum ECP concentrations with severity and exacerbation of the disease. Geometric mean of ECP in serum (Gecp) in our group of patients was 7.5 mcg/l, while it was 3.05 mcg/l in the 15 healthy subjects (controls). Highly significant correlation of serum ECP concentrations with the activity of the disease (R=0.897) and the severity of clinical picture (R=0.79) was found. The patients with stable asthma had significant correlation of ECP and the severity of disease (R=0.6). The patients with exacerbating asthma have significantly higher serum ECP concentrations than the patients with stable asthma. Serum ECP concentrations in patients with exacerbating asthma correlate with the severity of the disease.