TY - JOUR T1 - Periostin as a biomarker in patients with asthma: Associations with eosinophilia and Th2 response JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2015.PA610 VL - 46 IS - suppl 59 SP - PA610 AU - Elissavet Konstantelou AU - Stylianos Loukides AU - Konstantinos Kostikas AU - Poluxeni Ntotsi AU - Zoe Tsilogianni AU - Anastasia Papaporfyriou AU - Georgios Papatheodorou AU - Spyridon Papiris AU - Nikolaos Koulouris AU - Petros Bakakos Y1 - 2015/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA610.abstract N2 - Introduction: Periostin is a mesenchymal protein involved in subepithelial fibrosis and airway remodeling in asthma, which is also related to Th2 inflammatory response.Aim: The aim of the study was to measure Periostin levels in serum and induced sputum supernatant of asthmatic patients and healthy subjects and to associate them to inflammatory mediators and disease severity.Methods: 73 patients were enrolled (50 female, median age 58 years [IQR: 45-64]), 41 with severe refractory asthma (SRA) and 32 with mild-to moderate disease. 10 healthy volunteers were also included. Serum samples were collected for Periostin and eosinophil count measurements. Induced sputum was collected for cell count calculation and measurement of Periostin, IFN-γ and ΙL-13 in supernatant.Results: Serum Periostin levels were significantly increased in asthmatics compared to healthy volunteers (28[20-40] vs 19[15-25], p<0.001); SRA patients presented higher periostin levels compared to subjects with mild to moderate disease (29[25-42] vs 22[18-36], p=0.006). Periostin presented positive correlation to serum eosinophil count and total number (r2=0.21 and 0.29 respectively, p<0.001), as well as to sputum IL-13 levels (r2=0.33, p=0.007). A negative relation was observed between serum Periostin and sputum IFN-γ levels (r2=0.26, p<0.001). Periostin was not detectable in sputum supernatant.Conclusions: Serum Periostin is elevated in asthmatic patients, is associated to disease severity and represents a candidate biomarker of systemic eosinophilic inflammation and airways Th2 inflammatory response. ER -