Diagnostic markers of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in patients with severe asthma.

INTRODUCTION: Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a lung disease in patients with asthma or cystic fibrosis (CF) caused by chronic allergic inflammation to Aspergillus spp. antigens. The role of different immunological mediators in the formation of chronic allergic inflammation in patients with ABPA is not sufficiently explored. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate serum levels of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), thymus and activated chemokine (TARC) as well as IL-8 in patients with ABPA, and to evaluate their diagnostic and monitoring value in the disease. Patients/methods Prospective study included 21 patients with ABPA, 25 patients with severe asthma with fungal sensitization (SAFS), 37 patients with severe asthma without fungal sensitization (SAwFS), and 16 healthy people. In patients with ABPA the serum levels of biomarkers were determined at baseline and after 12 weeks of itraconazole therapy. Serum levels of total IgE, Aspergillus-fumigatus specific IgE, TSLP, TARC, IL-8 were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: In patients with ABPA we established significantly higher serum levels of TARC, IL-8, total IgE, Aspergillus-fumigatus specific IgE, and peripheral blood eosinophil counts, compared to patients with SAwFS. There were no differences in TSLP levels between the examined groups of patients. Serum TARC levels were positively correlated to serum total IgE levels, A. fumigatus-specific IgE levels and peripheral blood eosinophil counts and also negatively correlated to lung function (FEV1 ). Longitudinally, serum levels TARC, total IgE and peripheral blood eosinophil counts significant decreased after treatment of ABPA. CONCLUSION: TARC is a useful test in diagnosing and monitoring response to the antifungal treatment of patients with ABPA.