Plasma glutathione reductase, total antioxidants and neuropeptide Y among children with bronchial asthma

ABSTRACT

Though bronchial asthma is a common chronic disorder in children, its pathogenesis is far from being simple. The diagnosis of bronchial asthma is mainly based on clinical picture and laboratory diagnosis. Measurement of plasma concentration of antioxidants like glutathione [GSH] reductase is considered a new diagnostic procedure for bronchial asthma and may play a role in preventing bronchial asthma. Neuropeptide Y [NP-Y], a pro-inflammatory mediator, has a wide distribution and physiological effects on the lung and small bronchioles suggest that it may be involved in the exacerbation of asthma. The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of GSH reductase, total antioxidants and NP-Y in the diagnosis of bronchial asthma in children. This study consisted of two closely related parts. The first part included 30 patients with asthma and 20 healthy children as controls. The plasma samples were assayed for GSH reductase activity and total antioxidants concentrations. GSH reductase activity was significantly lower in patients than in control group [P <0.001], however, total antioxidants showed no significant difference between both groups [P >0.05]. There were no significant differences in GSH reductase or total antioxidants concentrations between patients with respiratory infections and those without. Patients treated with bronchodilators and steroids had a significant lower level of GSH reductase concentration as compared with those treated with bronchodilators only, however, the difference in total antioxidants concentration between both groups was statistically insignificant. In the second part of the study, plasma samples were obtained from 30 patients attending the emergency ward with exacerbations of asthma and from 20 healthy controls. All samples were assessed for NP-Y before and after treatment. The mean plasma level of NP-Y was higher in patients [10.02 +/- 4.6 ng/ml] than in controls [0.13 +/- 0.05 ng/ml], p <0.001. There was no significant difference between the level of NP-Y before and after treatment. No relation was observed between the severity of asthma and plasma level of NP-Y since hospitalized patients had almost the same results of NP-Y as other patients with mild or moderate asthma and left the hospital within the same day. In conclusion, GSH reductase could help as a laboratory marker in the diagnosis and prognosis of bronchial asthma in children On the other hand, plasma NP-Y could be a useful diagnostic tool but can not be employed as a predictor of responsiveness to therapy