Volume: 6 Issue: 1
Year: 2018, Page: 46-51,
Introduction: Eosinophilic airway inflammation is an important distinguishing characteristic feature of bronchial asthma in adults. To assess this type of airway inflammation, sputum eosinophilic counts are generally considered to be the gold standard. Treatment guided by sputum eosinophilic count reduces the frequency of asthma exacerbation.
Aims and objectives : The main aims are to know the percentage of Bronchial asthma subjects who have increased eosinophilic count and to compare the eosinophilic count in different severity groups of bronchial asthma, in smokers and non-smokers with asthma.
Materials and Methods : This is cross sectional observative study conducted from January to june 2016 in Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences on 45 patients who have symptoms suggestive of bronchial asthma. A blood eosinophil count, absolute eosinophil count, sputum neutrophil and eosinophil count and spirometry was done on each case in the Department of Pathology in collaboration with Department of Pulmonology of Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences. More than 18yrs of age are taken up in this study.
Results and Conclusion : Cases of moderate, severe and acute exacerbation of asthma showed significantly high eosinophil count (p-value <0.05) than controls. Cases of mild asthma and smokers showed no significant rise in eosinophil count (p-value >0.05) than controls. Smokers had a low mean sputum eosinophil count and a high mean neutrophil count than controls.
Keywords: Bronchial asthma, Sputum , Eosinophil count
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Reshma.M, Sharadrutha.A, Prasad C N. Significance of assessment of sputum eosinophilia in bronchial asthma. Perspectives in Medical Research 2018;6(1):46-51.