Relationship between Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin, Eosinophil Cationic Protein, Cytokines, and Atopic Sensitization in Patients with Allergic Diseases

Table 4

ECP and inflammatory parameters according to the NGAL level in allergic patients.

Parameters	Allergic patients		value
	Elevated NGAL ()	Nonelevated NGAL ()
Clinical parameters
Age (years)			0.715
Sex (male, %)	29 (51.7)	38 (47.5)	0.631
Allergic parameters
ECP (μg/L)	58.2 (29.7–96.4)	37.6 (25.8–83.5)	0.172
ECP/Eo ratio	0.31 (0.10–6.53)	0.23 (0.08–5.13)	0.253
tIgE (IU/mL)	381.5 (31.5–893.6)	310.6 (24.3–681.6)	0.214
sIgE score	4 (2–5)	3 (2–5)	0.307
Inflammatory parameters
TNF-α (pg/mL)	71.5 (7.3–290.4)	30.8 (6.5–214.6)	<0.001
IL-5 (pg/mL)	14.9 (8.5–28.6)	11.2 (6.4–22.9)	0.568
TGF-β1 (ng/mL)	3.52 (1.65–4.58)	1.87 (1.03–3.54)	<0.001
hsCRP (mg/dL)	2.13 (0.42–3.27)	0.45 (0.02–1.62)	<0.001

Data are expressed as or median (IQR). TGF-β1 was measured in only patients with bronchial asthma. ECP: eosinophil cationic protein; ECP/Eo ratio: ECP/eosinophil count ratio; tIgE: total immunoglobulin E; sIgE: specific IgE; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor-α; IL-5: interleukin-5; TGF-β1: transforming growth factor-β1; hsCRP: high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; and NGAL: neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin.