Korean J Allergy.  1997 Sep;17(3):299-306.

Role of eosinophils on the development of exercise-induced asthma

• Cho SH
• Jee YK
• Yoon HJ
• Min KU
• Kim YY
• Bahn JW
• Lee BJ
• Son JW
• Lee SR
• Kim YK
• Lee MH

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Exercise-induced asthma (EIA) can be demonstrated by exercise in 70 -75% patients with bronchial asthma. The mechanisms by which the airway heat and water loss after exercise may cause broncho-constriction is not clear. Eosinophils are major effector cells in airway allergic inflammation in bronchial asthma, and eosinophit cationic protein (ECP), which is released by activated eosinophil, may be the index of eosinophil activation. However it is unknown whether the eosinophil is activated in the development of EIA.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the hypothesis that the activation of eosinophils is important on the development of EIA.
METHODS
We performed exercise challenges (free running for 6 minutes) in 21 asthmatics, who consist of 13 patients with EIA (EIA group) and 8 asthmatics without EIA (control group), and measured FEV1 and FVC, peripheral blood eosinophil counts, and the serum EC concentrations before and after the exercise challenges.
RESULTS
The average fall of FEV1 in EIA and control was 29.3+4.8%, and 7.9+/-1.3%, respectively. There was no significant difference of basal peripheral blood eosinophils (303/mm3+/-54 versus 275/mm3+/-67) and basal serum ECP concentrations (31.2ng/ml+/-7.1 versus 39.2ng/ml+/-8.7) between EIA and control groups. However serum ECP levels were signiqieantly increased ast 30 minutes ofter execise (45+/-9.4 ng/ml) Than that before exeeise, but were not in control group. By the ways, the peripheral blood eosinophils after exercise were not significantly different from that before exercise in EIA and control groups.
CONCLUSION
It is suggested that the activation of eosinophil is related to the development of EIA.

MeSH Terms

Asthma
Asthma, Exercise-Induced*
Eosinophils*
Hot Temperature
Humans
Inflammation
Running