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Leukotriene synthesis during respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis: Influence of age and atopy
Author(s) -
Piedimonte Giovanni,
Renzetti Gabriele,
Auais Alexander,
Di Marco Antonio,
Tripodi Salvatore,
Colistro Franco,
Villani Alberto,
Di Ciommo Vincenzo,
Cutrera Renato
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.20285
Subject(s) - bronchiolitis , medicine , leukotriene e4 , atopy , asthma , leukotriene , immunology , urinary system , respiratory disease , respiratory system , pediatrics , gastroenterology , lung
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is the most common cause of bronchiolitis in infants and an important risk factor for the development of recurrent wheezing and asthma. Cysteinyl leukotrienes were implicated in the pathophysiology of these diseases, and are being targeted for their diagnosis and therapy. We measured urinary leukotriene E 4 (LTE 4 ) in infants with RSV bronchiolitis in comparison with controls without respiratory infection, and investigated whether medical and family history, age, and passive exposure to tobacco smoke are related to urinary leukotriene excretion. We studied 33 infants with bronchiolitis and 25 controls, 1–12 months of age. Demographic and historical data were obtained from informed‐consent forms and questionnaires completed by the parents. RSV was detected in nasal secretions by enzyme‐linked immunoassay. Urine samples were collected on day of admission and were analyzed for LTE 4 with an enzyme‐linked immunoassay. Urinary LTE 4 was 8‐fold higher in infants with bronchiolitis than in controls. Leukotriene excretion was significantly higher in infected infants <6 months of age with a medical history of eczema or dry cough and/or family history of asthma. Multivariate analysis revealed that eczema and dry cough are independently associated with high LTE 4 excretion during bronchiolitis. Exposure to tobacco smoke did not affect urinary LTE 4 . Our study shows that leukotriene synthesis during bronchiolitis is particularly elevated in younger infants with an atopic/asthmatic background. Urinary LTE 4 may become a valuable, noninvasive marker for the identification of patients who will benefit most from therapy with leukotriene modifiers for management of bronchiolitis. Pediatr Pulmonol. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.