Evaluation of serum and saliva cotinine and carnozine levels in patients diagnosed recurrent wheezing

Recurrent wheezing is a serious problem for public health, posing a threat for infants of developed and developing countries, with ethiopathogenesis referring to many causes in which exposure to cigarette smoke is found the key cause. In this study among infants with recurrent wheezing, it is aimed to evaluate the relationship between the number of wheezing attacks with the degree of exposure to cigarette smoke and serum, saliva cotinine and carnosine levels and to add a new approach to diagnosis and treatment. This study was conducted with 80 infants with recurrent wheezing, aged between 1-4 and 50 health control groups. Patient group was divided into three group depending the number of their exposure to cigarette smoke and wheezing attacks. Serum cotinine, saliva cotinine, serum carnosine, saliva carnosine, vitamin D levels were determined by using the ELISA method. Serum cotinine, saliva cotinine, serum carnosine, saliva carnosine and vitamine D levels were compared between patient and control groups and within each of these groups. No significant difference in serum vitamin D levels was found between healthy infants and infants with recurrent wheezing. A significant relationship between serum cotinine and saliva cotinine levels was found. It was determined that as the number of exposure to cigarette smoke of infants with recurrent wheezing increased, the number of wheezing attacks and the level of serum cotinine, saliva cotinine levels increased significantly, compared to the control group. It was determined that as the number of exposure to cigarette smoke and wheezing attacks of infants with recurrent wheezing increased, serum carnosine, saliva carnosine levels decreased significantly, compared to the control group. Further studies among a wider range of patient groups will help us understand the contribution of these and other biochemical markers on infants with recurrent wheezing and actions to take to prevent and treat recurrent wheezing. Keywords: Recurrent wheezing, Cotinine, Carnosine, Vitamin D