Bronchial hyperreactivity to histamine and levels of serum eosinophil cationic protein in patients with non-atopic asthma

Pathogenesis of non-atopic bronchial asthma remains still an open question. Until now there have been very few studies concerning relationship between eosinophil activation and nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity to histamine in this form of asthma. Sixteen subjects with mild nonatopic bronchial asthma entered the study. Evaluations of PC 20 for histamine and serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) concentration have been performed in all patients. In spite of fact that all patients were considered as mild asthmatic we have observed wide range of PC 20 and serum ECP concentration. Moreover we were able to find statistically significant inverse correlation between PC 20 for histamine and serum eosinophil cationic protein concentration: r = -0.498, p < 0.05. We conclude that eosinophil activation plays an important role in pathophysiology of nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity in nonatopic bronchial asthma.