Medicina Interna: Acesso Aberto
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Eosinophil Cationic Protein in Chronic Urticaria

So Young Yoon, Se Young Na, Mira Choi and Jong Hee Lee

Abstract Background: Eosinophil Cationic Protein (ECP) is a well-known activity indicator in allergic disease. Recently eosinophils have drawn attention as a major source of tissue factors in chronic urticaria. However, there have been few reports on significance of serum ECP in chronic urticaria.

Aims: To evaluate the clinical significance of serum ECP in chronic urticaria and clarify the relationship between serum total IgE and ECP in a severity index.

Methods: The retrospective chart review was performed on 114 patients with chronic urticaria. Serum ECP and total IgE were measured before treatment. The treatment period required to improve clinical symptoms with two different kinds of oral antihistamines twice a day was checked and the relationship between the treatment period and serum ECP and total IgE levels were evaluated.

Results: Patients showing high ECP level before treatment need more time to manage their urticarial symptoms than those with low ECP level (p=0.018). However, there were no significant differences between treatment period and serum total IgE level (p=0.543). Serum ECP and total IgE was moderately correlated with each other (r=0.200, p=0.041).

Conclusions: Serum ECP can be a better indicator of disease severity in chronic urticaria than IgE. The patients showing high ECP level from the beginning require relatively longer period for symptom relief and can be helped by more than two kinds of oral antihistamines.