Research Article

Delayed Asthmatic Response to Allergen Challenge and Cytokines Released by Nonspecifically Stimulated Blood Cells

Table 1

Characteristics of the patients and control subjects.

Patients
DYAR
Control subjects
Patients with asthmaHealthy subjects
IAR LAR DLAR

Age (years)31 ± 430 ± 533 ± 328 ± 630 ± 6
Gender (M/F)11/139/128/97/1114/12
Disease history (years)4.3 ± 2.14.5 ± 2.35.5 ± 1.46.3 ± 1.00
Asthmatic attacks per month3 ± 13 ± 14 ± 14 ± 20
FEV1 (% predicted)94.7 ± 7.895.5 ± 6.392.8 ± 5.496.1± 5.7100.7 ± 3.6
FVC (% predicted)97.5 ± 5.898.6 ± 3.7100.3 ± 4.9101.1 ± 6.0103.9 ± 7.0
Blood leukocyte count (×109/L)°10.5 ± 0.6+7.1 ± 0.68.0 ± 0.98.3 ± 0.56.5 ± 0.4
Blood neutrophil count (×109/L)°°7.1 ± 2.5+5.5 ± 2.05.7 ± 2.16.0 ± 0.55.4 ± 1.6
Blood eosinophil count (×106/L)°°°311 ± 30527 ± 65*513 ± 41*538 ± 55*235 ± 22
Bronchial histamine threshold
 ≤2.0 mg/mL03220
 4.0 mg/mL25130
 8.0 mg/mL35440
 16.0 mg/mL64550
 32.0 mg/mL42332
 >32.0 mg/mL922124
BPT positive/total□□1/1-21/21/21/30
Ratio Th1/Th2 (%) in blood8.9 ± 2.2+6.2 ± 3.06.8 ± 2.76.5 ± 2.47.1 ± 2.1
IFN- (pg/mL)—PBMC364 ± 45+192 ± 40189 ± 61181 ± 55221 ± 43
IL-4 (pg/mL)—PBMC17.9 ± 5.324.3 ± 5.4+21.8 ± 4.123.4 ± 3.6+18.4 ± 4.5

DYAR: delayed asthmatic response; IAR: immediate asthmatic response; LAR: late asthmatic response; DLAR: dual late asthmatic response; asthma: bronchial asthma; values = mean ± SD; statistical significance as compared with healthy control subjects: * ; + (borderline); °normal value = 4.0 − 10 × 109/L; °°normal value = 2.0 − 7.2 × 109/L; °°°normal value ≤300 × 106/L; normal value < 32.0 mg/mL; □□BPT: bronchial provocation tests with allergens (per patient = positive/total); PBMC: peripheral blood mononuclear cells; after stimulation with PMA (Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate).