| The change of peripheral eosinophil count after bronchial provocati-on with inhaled histamine in bronchial asthmatics. |
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Chi Hong Kim, Young Kyoon Kim, Soon Seog Kwon, Kwan Hyoung Kim, Ki Don Han, Hwa Sik Moon, Jeong Sup Song, Sung Hak Park |
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Department of lnternal Medicine, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul, Korea |
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| Abstract |
Background
Recently, bronchial provocation of the airway of atopic asthmatic subjects with inhaled allergen has been shown to produce an initial peripheral blood eosinopenia followed by an eosinophilia occurring approximately 12 to 18 hrs after the challenge. However, there are few studies about the change of peripheral eosinophil count (PEC) after bronchial provocation with nonspecific stimuli such as histamine or methacholine. Interestingly our preliminary study demonstrated a notable change of PEC during bronchial provocation with inhaled histamine in some asthmatic subjects. This study was designed to reevaluate our preliminary data and to further investigate the change of PEC during as well as after bronchial provocation with inhaled histamine in bronchial asthmatics.
Methods
Sixteen asthmatic subjects participated in this study. Bronchial provocation with inhaled histamine was done between 9 AM and 12 MD. Blood samplings for PEC were done with 5 minutes intervals during the procedure, and repeated at 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours after the procedure.
Results
The results were as follows;
1) The patients were divided into two groups characterized by each pattern in the change of PEC during the procedure. A group (11 of sixteen, group I) showed an increasing pattern of PEC and another group (5 of sixteen, group II) showed a decreasing pattern of PEC during the procedure.
2) Group 1 demonstrated a tendency to maintain continuously higher level of PEC than the baseline value until 48 hours after the procedure.
3) Group II demonstrated a tendency to maintain continuously lower level of PEC than the baseline value until 48 hours after the procedure.
4) There were no significant differences in their clinical parameters including baseline eosinophil count, baseline FEV" PC,o of histamine, and serum IgE level between group 1 and group 1I.
Conclusion
Our results suggest that the change of PEC produced by inhaled histamine in asthmatic subjects is much different from that produced by inhaled allergen , and that each patient may have their individual characteristics in the change of PEC in response to bronchial provocation with inhaled histamine. Alternatively, these findings suggest that eosinophils may be partially involved in the early asthmatic reaction. |
| Key Words:
Histamine, Bronchial provocation, Peripheral eosinophil count |
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