Abstract
Objective: Eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) is associated with recurrent wheezing episodes after bronchiolitis, childhood asthma, and allergic rhinitis. We investigated if there is a measurable difference between serum EDN levels in children with wheezing and non-wheezing respiratory infections.
Methods: 171 children who visited a university hospital with respiratory infections were enrolled in the study. Subjects were divided into two groups: wheezing (n = 46) and non-wheezing (n = 125). Serum EDN levels were compared.
Results: Serum EDN levels in the wheezing group were significantly higher than in the non-wheezing group (P < 0.001). The non-wheezing group was divided into three sub-groups: pneumonia, common cold, and tonsillitis. Serum EDN levels in the wheezing group were significantly higher than in the pneumonia, common cold, or tonsillitis subgroups (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in serum EDN levels among the pneumonia, common cold, and tonsillitis subgroups.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that elevated serum EDN levels could be a distinctive feature of respiratory infections with wheezing. EDN’s utility as a biomarker for wheezing-associated disease should be explored through further study.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all children, parents, and caregivers that participated in our study.
Disclosure statement
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.