To the Editors:
Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood and is characterised by chronic airway inflammation, reversible airflow obstruction and hyperresponsiveness of the airways. Among the substantial pathophysiological aspects of asthma are neuroimmune interaction mechanisms; neurotrophins are mediators of the interactions providing links between immune, structural and neuronal cells.
In recent years, several studies have analysed the effects of neurotrophins on allergic inflammation and airway diseases. Elevated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) levels have been found in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) after allergen challenge in allergic asthmatic patients [1,2]。它也表明,哮喘病人demonstrate elevated levels of neurotrophins (NGF and BDNF) in serum and locally in the airways [3,4], and that allergen provocation significantly increases neurotrophin levels in the airways [2]。Increased neurotrophin (BDNF) concentration also correlated with clinical parameters of allergic airway dysfunction, such as airflow limitation and airway hyperresponsiveness, in asthmatic patients [5], whereas its level is normalised after treatment with inhaled corticosteroids [4]。然而,据我们所知,只有一个研究我nvestigated neurotrophin (BDNF) levels in a paediatric population of asthmatic patients [6]。
We hypothesise that given the relationship between neuronal cells and the immune system in asthma, altered peripheral expression of neurotrophins associated with neuronal dysregulation may affect the course of asthma and disease severity in children.
The present study was performed on a Polish sample of 98 …