Exhaled breath condensate cysteinyl leukotrienes are increased in children with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 115; no. 4; pp. 764 - 770
• Main Authors: Carraro, Silvia, Corradi, Massimo, Zanconato, Stefania, Alinovi, Rossella, Pasquale, Maria Francesca, Zacchello, Franco, Baraldi, Eugenio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Mosby, Inc 01.04.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acetates - therapeutic use; Adolescent; ammonia; Ammonia - analysis; Ammonia - metabolism; Asthma; Asthma, Exercise-Induced - drug therapy; Asthma, Exercise-Induced - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - analysis; Breath Tests; Bronchoconstriction - drug effects; Child; Cysteine - analysis; Cysteine - drug effects; Cysteine - metabolism; cysteinyl leukotrienes; exercise-induced bronchoconstriction; Exhalation; exhaled breath condensate; exhaled nitric oxide; Forced Expiratory Volume; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Humans; Immunopathology; Leukotriene Antagonists - therapeutic use; leukotriene B4; Leukotriene B4 - analysis; Leukotriene B4 - metabolism; Leukotrienes - analysis; Leukotrienes - metabolism; Medical sciences; montelukast; Nitric Oxide - analysis; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Quinolines - therapeutic use; Respiratory Function Tests; NO; EBC; ammonia; Cys-LT; IQR; FEF 25%-75; Asthma; leukotriene B4; montelukast; exhaled breath condensate; exhaled nitric oxide; FE NO; LTB 4; cysteinyl leukotrienes; exercise-induced bronchoconstriction; EIB; Physical exercise; Leukotriene receptor; Montelukast; Leukotriene D4; Induced bronchoconstriction; Immunology; Eicosanoid; Leukotriene antagonist; Bronchus disease; Obstructive pulmonary disease; Child; Human; cysteinyl leukolrienes; Immunopathology; Lung disease; Expired air; Respiratory disease; Arachidonic acid derivatives; Expiration; Leukotriene E4; Ammonia; Leukotriene B4; Nitric oxide; Respiration
• ISSN: 0091-6749
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2004.10.043

It is recognized that airway inflammation has a central role in the pathogenesis of asthma, but how it relates to exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is not completely understood. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between EIB and baseline concentrations of cysteinyl leukotrienes (Cys-LTs) and other inflammatory markers in exhaled breath condensate (EBC). EBC was collected, and the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FE NO) was measured in a group of 19 asthmatic children, after which they performed a treadmill exercise test. Fourteen healthy children were enrolled as control subjects. The asthmatic children were divided into the EIB group (decrease in FEV 1, ≥12%) and the non-EIB group. The EBC was analyzed for the presence of Cys-LTs, leukotriene B 4, and ammonia. Asthmatic patients with EIB (mean FEV 1 decrease, 23% ± 3%) had higher Cys-LT concentrations than either asthmatic patients without EIB or control subjects (42.2 pg/mL [median] vs 11.7 pg/mL and 5.8 pg/mL; P < .05 and P < .001, respectively). Ammonia concentrations were lower in both the EIB and non-EIB groups than in control subjects (253.2 μM and 334.6 μM vs 798.4 μM; P < .01 and P < .05, respectively). No difference in EBC leukotriene B 4 levels was found among the 3 groups. Both asthmatic groups had higher FE NO levels than control subjects ( P < .001). EBC Cys-LT ( P < .01; r = 0.7) and FE NO ( P < .05; r = 0.5) values both correlated significantly with the postexercise FEV 1 decrease. this study shows that EBC Cys-LT values are higher in asthmatic children with EIB and correlate with the decrease in FEV 1 after exercise. These findings suggest that the pathways of both Cys-LT and nitric oxide are involved in the pathogenesis of EIB.