C-Reactive Protein Levels In The Serum Of Asthmatic Patients

BackgroundAsthma is characterised by airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation, in which various cells (such as eosinophils, neutrophils, macrophages and T-lymphocytes), cytokines and mediators play a role. C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute phase protein, is a highly sensitive systemic marker of inflammation and tissue damage. But the relationship between CRP concentration and bronchial hyperresponsiveness was not sure.ObjectiveTo study C-reactive protein levels in the serum in acute asthmatic period. MethodsFrom June 2003 to February 2008, 138 acute asthmatic patients were enrolled for therapy, their C-reactive protein levels, white blood cell, the day in the hospital, the using of antibiotic were analyzed.ResultsAmong the 138 patients, mean CRP level is 8.09±12.20mg/l, 113(81.9%) are normal(CRP<10mg/l), including 55 (39.86%) male patients and 58 (42.03 % ) female patients; 25 ( 18.1 % ) are abnormal(CRP>10mg/l), including 15 (10.87%) male patients and 10(7.25%) female patients; The mean age of the patients who have normal CRP level is 51.46±15.13 years old, while the mean age of the patients who have abnormal CRP level is 54.48±16.26 years old (P= 0.37) .The mean white blood cell level of the patients who have normal CRP level is 8.07±3.00, while the mean white blood cell level of the patients who have abnormal CRP level is 10.8±4.46 (P=0.0003). The mean days in hospital of the patients who have normal CRP level is 10.71±4.38 days, while the mean days in hospital of the patients who have normal CRP level is 14.87±11.86 days(P=0.04). There were 113 patients who had normal CRP level, including 10 patients who had not used antibiotics and 103 who had used antibiotics; There were 113 patients who had abnormal CRP level, including 0 patient who had not used antibiotics and 25 who had used antibiotics (P=0.08) . Of the 113 patients who had abnormal CRP level, the mean days in hospital of the patients who had not used antibiotics is 8.31±3.35 days, while the mean days in hospital of the patients who had used antibiotics is 10.25±4.45 days (P=0.34) .ConclusionC-reactive protein could be a marker of asthma, but it has no relationship with sex and age. The asthmatic patients who have high serum CRP level have high level of white blood cell, and need longer time in hospital. Most of asthmatic patients used antibiotics, but the patients who had normal CRP level do not need antibiotics.