Urinary leukotriene level in patients with bronchial asthma

ABSTRACT

Cysteinyl leukotriene is considered an important mediator in airway inflammation in asthma. So this work was conducted to measure urinary leukotriene E4 levels in patients with bronchial asthma in comparison to control subjects and to define a potential role of Cys LT in patients with bronchial asthma. This study was done on 50 asthmatic patients, 25 males and 25 females with age range from 6 to 45 years in addition to 15 apparently healthy subjects, of matched age and sex. Urine and blood samples were collected to estimate urinary LTE4, total serum IgE by ELISA respectively and CBC, after full clinical examination, skin test, urine and stool analysis were done. Pollen was the most common allergen causing positive skin test in patients [63.41% of cases].The mean values of blood eosinophilic percentage, urinary LTE4 and total IgE level of patients were significantly higher than that of control group, and in atopic patient than that of non-atopics. There were positive significant correlations between blood eosinophilic percentage, urinary LTE4 and total IgE level of patients. There were no correlations between either age of patients or duration of illness with blood eosinophilic percentage, urinary LTE4 and total IgE level. In conclusion, the measurement of LTE4 in urine sample, which is safe and easily available method of estimating the synthesis and release of the mediator, would be useful in understanding the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma