Value of Serum Eosinophil Cationic Protein and Interleukin-5 in Dedecting the Severity of Bronchial Asthma in Children

Background: Bronchial asthma is an airway chronic inflammatory illness distinguished by the involvement of numerous cytokines cells involving inflammatory cells. Aims and objectives: To assess the value of serum eosinophil cationic protein (serum-ECP) and interleukin-5 (IL-5) as an indicator of childhood bronchial asthma severity. Patients and methods: This was cross-sectional research performed on 50 kids diagnosed with bronchial asthma aged 5–16 years recruited from the pediatric clinic at Bab-El Sharia University Hospital and Nile Health Insurance Hospital. Results: There was a strong negative association among ECP and FEV1 and FEV1/FVC and a robust negative association among IL-5 & FEV1 and FEV1/FVC with a significant p <0.001. At the same time, there was a strong positive association among ECP, IL-5, and asthma severity p<0.001. When ECP level >32, it has a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 69% in the prediction of asthma severity. Also, when the IL-5 level is>6.7, it has a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 83% in predicting asthma severity. Conclusion: There was a strong negative association between ECP and FEV1 and FEV1/FVC, as well as IL-5 and asthma severity, suggesting that serum eosinophil cationic protein and interleukin-5 may predict asthma severity.