RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Serum periostin in obstructive airways disease JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP ERJ-01384-2015 DO 10.1183/13993003.01384-2015 A1 James Fingleton A1 Irene Braithwaite A1 Justin Travers A1 Darren Bowles A1 Rianne Strik A1 Rob Siebers A1 Cecile Holweg A1 John Matthews A1 Mark Weatherall A1 Richard Beasley YR 2016 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2016/02/25/13993003.01384-2015.abstract AB Serum periostin is a potential biomarker of response to therapies that target type 2 inflammation in asthma. The objectives of this study were to describe: 1) the distribution of serum periostin levels in adults with symptomatic airflow obstruction; 2) its relationship with other variables, including type 2 biomarkers; and 3) the effect of inhaled corticosteroids on periostin levels.Serum periostin levels were measured in a cross-sectional study exploring phenotypes and biomarkers in 386 patients aged 18–75 years who reported wheeze and breathlessness in the past 12 months. In 49 ICS-naïve patients, periostin levels were measured again after 12 weeks of budesonide (800 μg·day−1).The distribution of serum periostin levels was right skewed (mean±sd 57.3±18.6 ng·mL−1, median (interquartile range) 54.0 (45.1–65.6) ng·mL−1, range 15.0–164.7 ng·mL−1). Periostin was positively associated with exhaled nitric oxide (Spearman's rho=0.22, p<0.001), blood eosinophil count (Spearman's rho=0.21, p<0.001), and total IgE (Spearman's rho=0.14, p=0.007). The Hodges–Lehmann estimator (95% CI) of change in periostin level after ICS therapy was −4.8 (−6.7– −3.2) ng·mL−1 (p<0.001).These findings provide data on the distribution of serum periostin in adults with symptomatic airflow obstruction, the weak associations between periostin and other type 2 markers, and the reduction in periostin with inhaled corticosteroid therapy.Serum periostin levels may be a distinct marker of type 2 inflammation in adults with symptomatic airways disease http://ow.ly/XAKyK