ABSTRACT
Background: Elevated Interleukin-6 [IL-6] Levels have been described in bronchial asthma, where they appear to orchestrate a variety of inflammatory responses. It has been suggested that control of many of these IL6-mediated events is regulated via soluble Interleukin-6 receptor [sIL-6R]. Consequently, when considering the role of IL-6 in asthmatic patients, it is equally important to consider how sIL-6R affects its function
Objective: This Study was carried out to assess serum levels of IL-6 and sIL-6R in bronchial asthma patients during exacerbation and remission, stressing upon their relationships with airway obstruction, atopic status and allergy-related parameters
Methods: Thirty-two consecutive asthmatic patients and 16 control subjects were submitted to full medical history taking, clinical examination, measurement of peak expiratory flow rate [PEFR], skin testing, complete blood counting and estimation of serum concentration of IL-6, sIL-6R and total immunoglobulin E [IgE] by enzyme-linked immunoassay [ELI- SA]. In asthmatic patients, all these procedures were done during acute exacerbation and repeated after 4 weeks during remission
Results: Mean serum levels of IL-6 and sIL-6R were significantly higher in asthmatic patients as compared with control subjects, and in acute asthma exacerbation as compared with its remission. There was no statistically significant difference between atopic and non-atopic patients regarding their levels. Serum IL-6 and sIL-6R correlated positively with each other with stronger correlation in asthma exacerbation. Also they orrelated positively with peripheral blood eosinophilic count [PBEC] and serum total IgE, and con-elated negatively with PEFR during exacerbation and remission
Conclusion: In bronchial asthma, serum IL-6 and sIL-6R are likely involved together in an immunoinflammatory response particularly during acute exacerbation. They are not influenced by atopy. Their increased levels are associated with greater bronchoconstriction suggesting possible roles for them in airway obstruction and in the pathophysiology of bronchial asthma
ABSTRACT
This study included forty eight patients suffering from allergic bronchial asthma in addition to 24 normal persons as a control group who were completely chest free. All individuals were subjected to full history taking, prick and intradermal skin tests for common allergens [house dust mites, mixed fungi, mixed pollens, hay dust, wool, cat hair and dog hair] and HLA [class I] typing by Micro lympnocyto-toxicity. It was found that the most prevalent allergens causing bronchial asthma were house dust mites [45.8%] and mixed fungi [20.8%]. The most common HLA [class I] associated with allergic asthma were HLA-A[1], B[8], Cw[4] and these results were statistically significant [P = < 0.01]. The asthmatic patients with house dust mites were mostly associated with HLA-A[1], B[8], Cw[6] while to mixed fungi was HLA- A[1], A[30], B[8], Cw[4]. So persons with HLA-A[1], B[8] are more susceptible to develop bronchial asthma, so we must kept him away from sources of external allergens