Different serum soluble Fas levels in patients with allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma

Background: The pathogeneses of allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma are believed to be closely mutually related because of the similar dynamics of allergy-inducing cells and molecules and clinical overlap. In this study, w e compared these diseases in the dynamics of cell apoptosis-regulating mole cules. Methods: Allergic rhinitis patients (n=36), bronchial asthma patients (n=22 ), and healthy subjects (n=32) were subjected to measurement of serum (solu ble Fas) (sFas) levels during the stable and attack disease phases by a san dwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Serum sFas levels in patients with allergic rhinitis during the at tack phase were significantly lower (P<0.0001) than those in healthy indivi duals. There were no differences between them during the attack and stable disease phases. In contrast, serum sFas levels in patients with bronchial a sthma during the attack phase were higher (P<0.0005) than those in healthy individuals. Interestingly, the levels during the attack phase were lower ( P<0.002) than those during the stable phase. Conclusions: Our results suggest a different pathogenesis for allergic rhin itis and bronchial asthma at the cell apoptosis-linked step.