Abstract
AIM: To determine induced sputum cell counts and interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) levels as markers of neutrophilic inflammation in moderate persistent asthma, and to evaluate the response to inhaled steroid therapy.Methods: Forty-five moderate asthmatic patients and 10 non-smoker controls were included in this study. All patients received inhaled corticosteroid (800 μg of budesonide) for 12 weeks. Before and after treatment pulmonary function tests were performed, and symptom scores were determined. Blood was drawn for analysis of serum inflammatory markers, and sputum was induced.Results: Induced sputum cell counts and inflammatory markers were significantly higher in patients with asthma than in the control group. The induced sputum eosinophil counts of 12 patients (26%) were found to be less than 5%, the non-eosinophilic group, and sputum neutrophil counts, IL-8 and TNF-α levels were significantly higher than the eosinophilic group (neutrophil, 50±14% versus 19±10%,