RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISEASE SEVERITY AND INFLAMMATORY MARKERS IN CYSTIC-FIBROSIS

To evaluate the clinical use of measuring neutrophil, lymphocyte, and eosinophil activities, serum myeloperoxidase (MPO), soluble interleuki n-2 receptors (sIL-2R), and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) were mea sured in 98 patients with cystic fibrosis and in 85 healthy children. Serum concentrations of MPO, sIL-2R, and ECP were increased in patient s with cystic fibrosis (median 807 mu g/l, 4452 pg/ml, 48.8 mu g/l, re spectively) compared with the controls (median 319 mu g/l, 2743 pg/ml, 9.4 mu g/l). ECP concentrations, but not serum MPO or sIL-2R, were si gnificantly related to disease severity assessed by the Shwachman-Kulc zycki score and by pulmonary function (forced expiratory volume in one second % predicted). Neither ECP nor sIL-2R was influenced by Pseudom onas aeruginosa infection, acute pulmonary exacerbation, or atopy. Ser um MPO, however, was strongly correlated acute pulmonary exacerbation. In Light of these findings the measurement of serum ECP might thus be used for clinical monitoring and for assessing disease severity in cy stic fibrosis. The measurement of serum MPO and sIL-2R did not correla te with the disease severity.