SERUM EOSINOPHILIC CATIONIC PROTEIN CECP) IN CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA AND HAY FEVER

The importance of eosinophils in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases is not completly established. To evaluate the role of this cells in asthma and hay fever, the levels of their product, ECP, were compared during pollen-free and pollen season. Material and methods: 18 children with extrinsic asthma, 13 with hay fever and 15 normal children used as the controls were studied. ECP in serum was measured with an RIA and the tests were performed twice (during the winter and the summer). Results: In the analysis of variance there were significant differences in ECP levels between the groups of children during the winter (F=5.85 p<0.001) and the summer (F=4.48 p<0.02). In the winter, ECP in asthma children was significant higher than in control (t=2.45 p<0.01) and hay fever children (t=2.57 p<0.01). In the summer, ECP levels in asthma patients remained significantly higher than in control group (t=3.83 p<0.001). Also, the levels in hay fever patients increased significantly in comparison to control group (t=2.18 p<0.02). There were significant increases in ECP levels between winter and summer in hay fever group (t=3.18 p<0.01) and in control group (t=3.33 p<0.05). Regression analysis revealed significant correlat ion between ECP levels and the number of peripheral-blood eosinophils in all studied children in both seasons: winter (r=0.5 p<0.002) and summer (r=0.6 p<0.001). Conclusions: correlated changes of ECP levels, exposition and symptoms in asthma and hay fever may suggest a role of this protein and eosinophils in allergic diseases.