RESUMO
The study was designed to determine the degree of activation of T lymphocytes of patients with asthma by measuring the concentration of soluble interleukin-2 receptor in the serum from asthma patients with acute attacks and in remission. We examined 35 asthmatic children in their wheezy state and 35 asthmatic children during remission as well as 30 healthy children matching age and sex. The patients and controls were subjected to full history taking, complete clinical examination, and complete blood picture [including, total leucocytic count, Hb% and absolute eosinophilic count] chest X-ray and serum soluble interleukin-2 receptors. Statistical analysis of the results showed highly significant difference in serum slL-2R from patients with acute asthma than from patients at clinical remission or from control subjects. This study provides further evidence that the more severe the attack the more the concentration of sli-2R. Patients on steroids had lower serum slL-2R than those not received steroids. No correlation between serum concentration of slL-2R and sex, AEC and TLC. There is a negative correlation between serum concentration ofslL-2R and age of asthmatic patients