Serum interleukin 38 (IL-38) as a new potential biomarker of pediatric asthma

• Published in: Egyptian Journal of Bronchology Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 37 - 10
• Main Authors: Kamal, Asmaa, Basanti, Christine W. S., Kaushty, Mahmoud A., Abdelmegeid, Azza K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.12.2022; Springer; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Allergens; Allergies; Asthma; Asthma in children; Biomarker; Biomarkers; Bronchial asthma; Children; Cytokines; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Enzymes; Eosinophilic asthma; Families & family life; Health aspects; IL-38; Immunoglobulins; Inflammatory diseases; Interleukins; Laboratories; Lung diseases; Medical research; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Medicine, Experimental; Pathogenesis; Patients; Pediatrics; Quality of life; Spirometry; Statistical analysis; Egypt; IL-38; Bronchial asthma; Biomarker; Eosinophilic asthma; Inflammatory diseases
• ISSN: 1687-8426; 2314-8551
• DOI: 10.1186/s43168-022-00139-5

Background Bronchial asthma is considered the most prevalent chronic respiratory disease worldwide and is one of the main causes of hospitalization in the pediatric population. Serum interleukin 38 (IL-38) levels are elevated in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. However, its exact role in the pathogenesis of these diseases is unclear. Objectives To investigate the role of IL-38 as a potential biomarker in pediatric patients with bronchial asthma. Methods Serum IL-38 levels were measured in 73 pediatric patients with bronchial asthma (34 atopic and 39 non-atopic) and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Serum IL-38 levels were significantly higher in patients with bronchial asthma compared to the control group ( p < 0.001). A significant negative correlation was found between serum IL-38 levels and both relative and absolute eosinophilic counts in the atopic group ( R = −0.575, p < 0.001 and R = −0.474, p = 0.005, respectively). Conclusion IL-38 could be a useful prognostic and therapeutic biomarker of atopic asthma in pediatric patients.