The relationship between respiratory function tests and serum leptin, IL-4, IL-10, IFN-gamma levels and plasma nitric oxide concentrations in asthmatic adults

ABSTRACTTHE RELAT ONSH P BETWEEN RESP RATORY FUNCT ON TESTS ANDSERUM LEPT N, IL-4, IL-10, IFN-gamma LEVELS AND PLASMA N TR COX DE CONCENTRAT ONS N ASTHMAT C ADULTSDr.Mustafa YILMAZAsthma is accepted as a chronic inflammatory disease of the airwayepithelium. In asthma, balance between Th1/Th2 lymphocytes is changed infavour of the Th2 lymphocytes. In this study, it was aimed to investigate therelationship between respiratory function tests and serum leptin, IL-4, IL-10,IFN-gamma levels and plasma nitric oxide concentrations.In this study, 32 clinically asthma diagnosed patients were taken as apatient group and 32 healthy individuals as a control group. For themeasurement of leptin, IL-4, IL-10, IFN-gamma and nitrite+nitrate,serum/plasma of blood samples ware separated and kept in -85 centigradedegree until the day of measurement. Respiratory function tests for each casewere carried out with spirometer, serum leptin, IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-gammalevels were measured with a commercial kit that uses ELISA, plasma nitrite andnitrate levels detected with HPLC. Data were analysed with SPSS 13.0software, t-test and Pearson correlation applied where appropriate.In control group, there was a positive correlation between leptin levelsand FEV1 and FVC with the value of r=0,443 p=0,005 and r=0,440 p=0,013respectively, where as in patient group, there was a negative correlationbetween leptin levels and FEV1 with the value of r=-0,366 p=0,043. Serumleptin levels were significantly higher in women compared to men, p=0,000. Inpatient group, plasma nitric oxide levels were significantly lower compared tothe control group, p=0,012.These findings suggest that, airway inflammation may have systemiceffects in asthma so that leptin and nitric oxide levels might be usefulparameters to detect these systemic effects.76