Increased serum soluble ST2 in asthmatic children and recurrent early wheezers

Mi Ae Chu; Hyung Jik Lee; Eun Joo Lee; Suk Jin Hong; Hye Jin Park; Kye Hyang Lee; Hai Lee Chung

doi:10.4168/aard.2013.1.4.314

Journal List > Allergy Asthma Respir Dis > v.1(4) > 1058978

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Chu, Lee, Lee, Hong, Park, Lee, and Chung: Increased serum soluble ST2 in asthmatic children and recurrent early wheezers

Original Article

Allergy, Asthma & Respiratory Disease 2013; 1(4): 314-320.

Published online: 31 December 2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4168/aard.2013.1.4.314

Increased serum soluble ST2 in asthmatic children and recurrent early wheezers

Mi Ae Chu, Hyung Jik Lee, Eun Joo Lee, Suk Jin Hong, Hye Jin Park, Kye Hyang Lee, Hai Lee Chung

Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.

Correspondence to: Hai Lee Chung. Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, 33 Duryugongwon-ro 17-gil, Nam-gu, Daegu 705-718, Korea. Tel: +82-53-650-4245, Fax: +82-53-622-4240, hlchung@cu.ac.kr

Received 2 August 2013 Revised 8 September 2013 Accepted 8 September 2013

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/).

Abstract

Purpose

Soluble ST2 (sST2) has been reported to regulate Th₂ response. In this study, serum levels of sST2 and other cytokines were measured in recurrent early wheezers and asthmatic children. We aimed to investigate if there are any differences or similarities in Th1 or Th2 response between those two patient groups.

Methods

Fifty-nine patients admitted with exacerbation of wheezing or asthma were enrolled. Two patient groups were defined: children with atopic asthma (≥6 years, n=21) and recurrent early wheezers (≤2 years, n=38). Recurrent early wheezers were divided based on their atopic status: 19 were atopic and 19 were nonatopic. sST2, interleukin (IL) 33, IL-5, and interferon (IFN)-γ were measured in serum samples collected on admission. Cytokine levels in both patient groups were compared with their age-matched controls and evaluated the relationship with blood eosinophils, serum IgE levels, and also with the severity of symptom.

Results

sST2 and IL-5 were significantly increased both in asthmatic children (P=0.02, P=0.004) and recurrent early wheezers (P=0.01, P=0.001) compared to their age-matched controls. IL-5 was significantly higher in atopic wheezers compared with non-atopic wheezers (P=0.04). Severity score showed a positive correlation with sST2 and IFN-γ in asthmatic children, but only with IFN-γ in early wheezers. There was an inverse correlation between sST2 and blood eosinophil counts both in asthmatic children and atopic recurrent wheezers.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that sST2 might regulate allergic inflammation by suppressing eosinophilia and play an important role in pathophysiology of acute exacerbation of wheezing or asthma both in asthmatic children and early wheezers.

Keywords: ST2, Cytokine, Asthma, Child

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

Correlation between serum soluble ST2 levels and peripheral blood eosinophil counts in asthmatic children (A), recurrent early wheezers (B), and atopic wheezers (C).

Table 1

Demographic findings and serum cytokine levels in patient groups and age-matched controls

Values are presented as mean±standard deviation unless otherwise indicated.

IL, interleukin; sST2, soluble ST2; IFN, interferon.

^*Months. ^†Years.

Table 2

Demographic findings and cytokine levels in atopic and nonatopic wheezers

Values are presented as mean±standard deviation unless otherwise indicated.

IL, interleukin; sST2, soluble ST2; IFN, interferon.

Table 3

Demographic findings and serum cytokine levels in patients with vs. without wheezing relapse after discharge

Values are presented as mean±standard deviation unless otherwise indicated.

IL, interleukin; sST2, soluble ST2; IFN, interferon.

Table 4

Correlation between severity score and each cytokine level in two patient groups

IL, interleukin; sST2, soluble ST2; IFN, interferon.

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