Exercise increases exhaled breath condensate cysteinyl leukotriene concentration in asthmatic patients

Abstract

Background. Although the importance of cysteinyl leukotrienes (Cys-LTs) in exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is supported by various sources of evidence, how the concentration of these mediators change during the development of EIB has not been investigated. Objectives. Our goal was to determine the effect of exercise on the concentration of airway Cys-LT in asthmatic patients by measuring Cys-LT in exhaled breath condensate (EBC). Methods. Seventeen atopic asthmatic patients with a previous history of EIB and six healthy volunteers were studied. Before and two times within 10 minutes after exercise challenge, FEV₁ was measured and EBC was collected for Cys-LT measurement. Exhaled nitric oxide level, a marker of airway inflammation, was also determined at baseline. Results. Baseline Cys-LT level was higher in the asthmatic group versus healthy subjects (168 pg/mL /112–223/ vs. 77 pg/mL /36–119/, p = .03). EBC Cys-LT concentration increased in all asthmatic patients post-exercise (n = 17, p = .03), with the increase significantly greater in patients developing exercise-induced bronchospasm (n = 7, p = .03), whereas no change was observed in healthy controls (p = .59). The exercise-induced fall in FEV₁ in asthmatics was related to the increase in EBC Cys-LT concentration (r = −0.40, p = .03). Conclusions. Our study shows that Cys-LT concentration of EBC is elevated minutes after physical exercise in asthmatic patients and strongly supports the concept that the release of this mediator is involved in the development of EIB.

• asthma
• exercise-induced bronchoconstriction
• exhaled breath condensate
• cysteinyl leukotrienes
• exhaled nitric oxide

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Mária Hernádi, Mária Mikoss, and Mária Kenéz for lung function measurements, and the collection and processing of condensate samples and Maria Bates, Melinda Bors, and Anna Grove for English corrections. The study was supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (OTKA 68808).

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.