Elevated plasma eotaxin levels in patients with acute asthma

Background: The eosinophil chemotactic and activating effects of eotaxin an d the known association of eosinophils with asthma suggest that eotaxin exp ression is increased during asthma exacerbations. Objective: We sought to determine whether plasma eotaxin levels are elevate d in patients presenting for emergency treatment of acute asthma and to cor relate eotaxin levels with disease activity and responses to treatment. Methods: A case-control study of plasma eotaxin levels was performed in the 36 patients who presented for emergency asthma treatment and 133 age-, sex -, and ethnicity-matched subjects with stable asthma, Results: Plasma eotaxin levels were significantly higher in 36 patients wit h acute asthma symptoms and airflow obstruction (520 pg/mL [250, 1100 pg/mL ]; geometric mean [-1 SD, +1 SD]) than in 133 subjects with stable asthma ( 350 pg/mL [190, 620 pg/ml]; P = .0008), Among the patients with emergency a sthma flares, those who responded to asthma treatment with an increase in p eak expiratory flow rate by an amount equal to at least 20% of their predic ted normal value had lower eotaxin levels than those who did not (410 pg/mL [210, 800 pg/mL] and 660 pg/mL [300, 1480 pg/mL], respectively; P = .01). Conclusion: These findings imply that eotaxin either is mechanistically inv olved in acute asthma or series as a biomarker for activity of the CCR3 rec eptor ligand system, which is functionally linked to asthma.