Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis.  2007 Jun;17(2):137-148.

The Effect of Environmental Smoking on Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Levels in Induced Sputum of the Asthmatic Children

• Kim HJ
• Choung JT

Abstract

PURPOSE: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is highly expressed in the airways of asthmatic patients. Asthmatic children are commonly exposed to parental smoking. We investigated the effect of environmental tobacco smoking (ETS) on VEGF levels in induced sputum of asthmatic children.
METHODS
Sixty-nine asthmatic children were enrolled, who were hospitalized in the Pediatric Department of Korea University Hospital for acute asthma exacerbation. We interviewed their parents to assess ETS history with a questionnaire. We measured VEGF levels in induced sputum from asthmatic children by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and we also measured the concentrations of sputum ECP by radioimmunoassay. We compared sputum levels of VEGF and ECP between an ETS group and a non-ETS group.
RESULTS
Of the 69 cases, 45 were in the non-ETS group and 24 were in the ETS group. The ETS group showed higher sputum VEGF levels than did the non-ETS group (P=0.001). Serum IgE levels were not related to the sputum levels of VEGF in the ETS group, and there was no association between serum levels of ECP and sputum levels of VEGF.
CONCLUSION
When asthmatic children were exposed to family smoking, higher levels of VEGF were measured in their sputum. It seems that environmental smoking aggravates allergic airway inflammation. We suggest that parents of asthmatic children should make all efforts to stop smoking.

Keyword

Vascular endothelial growth factor; Environmental tobacco smoking; Asthma

MeSH Terms

Asthma
Child*
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Humans
Immunoglobulin E
Inflammation
Korea
Parents
Surveys and Questionnaires
Radioimmunoassay
Smoke*
Smoking*
Sputum*
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*
Immunoglobulin E
Smoke
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A