Salivary Eosinophil Cationic Protein in Allergic Rhinitis

Özet

Objective: Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) plays asignificant role in the pathogenesis of atopic diseasessuch as allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma. Using saliva as a diagnostic material is a non-invasive, simplemethod. Analysis of ECP in saliva was shown as analternative diagnostic contribution in patients withasthma. In this study we aimed to assess a possibleassociation between the levels of salivary ECP andthe diagnosis of AR by comparing serum ECP andsalivary ECP levels.Methods: Thirty-five allergic rhinitis patients (studygroup) sensitive to Dermatophagoides farinae (D2) inskin prick test (SPT) and 35 nonallergic, SPT negative, healthy volunteers (control group) were includedin the study. Salivary ECP, serum ECP and specificIgE D2 levels were measured.Results: Distribution of age and gender were similarin the study and the control groups (p>0.05). Serumspecific IgE D2 levels were significantly higher in thestudy group compared to the control group (p<0.001).ECP levels in saliva and serum did not show anysignificant difference in between study and controlgroups (p=0.738; p=0.796, respectively). No significant difference was found between the levels of ECPin between the serum and the saliva of study and control groups. (p=0.504; p=0.589, respectively). Therewas no significant correlation between saliva and serum ECP levels of both groups.(r=-0.191/ p=0.114).Conclusion: Serum and saliva ECP levels seem closeto each other and were comparable in both groups,but we did not find any correlation between them Although we hypothesized that saliva ECP may be usedas a non-invasive method for the diagnosis of AR, itseems that this parameter is not helpful in diagnosisof AR.