European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

ROLE OF SPUTUM EOSINOPHIL COUNT IN ASSESSING THE SEVERITY AND TREATMENT OUTCOME IN ASTHMA PATIENTS

*Shivakumar K. and S. K. Agarwal

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Most clinicians treat asthma based on clinical assessment and PFT. Markers of airway inflammation like sputum eosinophil count and FENO serve as good markers of asthma severity as they are more sensitive than other subjective and objective methods of assessment of airway inflammation. Methods: After baseline FEV1 and FVC measurements, asthma patients were pretreated with inhaled salbutamol and then nebulized with hypertonic saline (3% NaCl). Induced sputum was examined for sputum eosinophil count(SEC) and patients were grouped as those with SEC>3% (groupA)and SEC<3% (groupB) For groupB, budesonide (100 μg) MDI was advised one puff twice daily and for groupA formoterol (6 μg) and budesonide (100 μg) combination in MDI form was prescribed two puffs twice daily. Asthma severity was assessed in both the groups. Results: Group A had mean SEC of 6.04±2.18 before treatment, and 3.28±0.67 during the last follow-up visit and Group B patients had a mean SEC 1.62±0.49 prior to treatment and 1.52±0.50 during the last follow-up visit.The mean FEV1 values in group A prior treatment was 58.1212.60 and during the last follow-up visit was 82.987.00(p value=0.000). In group B the mean FEV1 was 78.5612.68 prior treatment and during the last follow-up visit the mean value was 90.505.84.(p value=0.000). Conclusion: A negative correlation was observed between sputum eosinophil count and FEV1 suggesting that the lung functions were lower and hence the disease was more severe in patients with a higher sputum eosinophil count.

Keywords: Most clinicians groupA formoterol count.