[Use of selected parameters of nasal lavage fluid in asthma severity monitoring].
UNLABELLED: Allergic inflammation is a chronic disorder underlying asthma and allergic rhinitis. There is a theory "one system--one disease" connecting these two atopic diseases. Eosinophil is a major effector cell in both processes. The possible correlations between spirometric parameters and concentrations of selected mediators in peripheral blood and nasal lavage (NLF) fluid were estimated. 14 asthmatic patients entered the study, all of them symptoms free. In NLF supernatants and in blood ECP and sVCAM-1 concentrations were measured and cells in NLF were counted. RESULTS: Number of eosinophils in NLF correlated with sVCAM-1 concentration in NLF (R2 = 0.68; p < 0.05). In serum ECP and sVCAM-1 concentrations correlated with each other (R2 = 0.73; p < 0.05). Correlation between ECP concentration in serum or NLF and FEV1 was: R2ser = 0.49, R2NLF = 0.50 (p < 0.05), respectively. ECP concentration concentration correlated in serum and NLF correlated with MEF25: R2ser = 0.77, R2NLF = 0.45 (p < 0.05), and sVCAM-1 spirometric parameters: R2FEV1 = 0.26, R2MEF25 = 0.67, p < 0.05. CONCLUSION: VCAM-1 is active in selective eosinophil migration to peripheral tissue. It can also activate these cells. Concentration of ECP and sVCAM-1 in blood serum and NLF correlate with the course of bronchial asthma described by spirometric parameters, and therefore can be used in disease treatment monitoring.