THE INFLUENCE OF ATOPY ON sICAM-1 SERUM LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH ALLERGIC RHINITIS AND BRONCHIAL ASTHMA

Summary: It has been shown that adhesive molecules are involved in inflammatory diseases of the lungs such as bronchial asthma. The purpose of the study was to measure and establish possible difference in serum levels of soluble ICAM-1 in 42 atopic patients (patients with allergic rhinitis and patients with bronchial asthma) in comparison with 28 patients without atopy (patients with asthma without rhinitis); whether there is a difference in sICAM-1 levels between groups of 26 patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma in comparison with group of 16 patients with allergic rhinitis only and also in comparison with 10 healthy controls. Results of the study have substantiated statistically significant difference in sICAM-1 levels between all groups of patients in comparison to healthy control, but no statistically significant difference in sICAM-1 levels between patients with and without atopy (Z=’1.738) or between patients with allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma in comparison with group of patients with allergic rhinitis only (Z=0.00). ICAM-1 is an important marker of inflammation in patients with allergic rhinitis as well as in those with bronchial asthma. Atopic status does not influence differences in sICAM-1 levels. Although mean sICAM-1 levels were higher in patients with allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma (312.71 ng/mL) in comparison with mean sICAM-1 levels in patients with allergic rhinitis only (279.69 ng/mL), no statistically significant difference was noted in sICAM-1 levels between these groups of subjects, i.e. asthma itself did not contribute to statistically significant increase of sICAM-1 levels.