Interleukin-33 in patients with bronchial asthma and its relation to disease severity

Background Bronchial asthma (BA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways, characterized by bronchial hyperresponsiveness and variable airflow obstruction. Interleukin (IL)-33 is a member of the IL-1 family that has a role in airway hyperresponsiveness and asthma. Aim The aim was to measure serum level of IL-33 in patients with BA and to assess its relation to disease severity. Patients and methods A total of 20 asthmatic patients and 20 controls were investigated. Serum level of IL-33 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Serum level of IL-33 was increased in asthmatic patients than controls, and its increase was higher in severe BA than mild to moderate BA. There were significant negative correlations between IL-33 and pulmonary function tests and a significant positive correlation between IL-33 and eosinophil count. Conclusion Serum level of IL-33 was increased in patients with BA, and its increase was correlated with the severity of the disease. Further studies are recommended to investigate the possible role of IL-33 as a new therapeutic target in BA.