HH Kim, SJ Choi, S Won , HS Kim, YH Chun, JS Yoon, JT Kim

Abstract

Purpose: Exposure and sensitisation to house dust mites (HDMs) are known to aggravate asthma. We aimed to determine whether sensitisation to HDM acts as a risk factor for asthma exacerbation in fall and we also investigated whether asthma exacerbation in the fall had any distinctive features by comparing various cytokines and chemokines with other seasons. Method: We measured the levels of total immunoglobulin E (IgE), HDM-specific IgE (sIgE), and various cytokines and chemokines in those who visited the emergency department for acute asthma exacerbation and classified them according to the season. Findings: HDM-sIgE levels were higher in those presenting with asthma exacerbation in the fall. There was no difference in the levels of cytokines and chemokines between the fall and the other seasons. Conclusion: HDM sensitisation could be a risk factor for asthma exacerbation in the fall.

目的：接觸和對家居塵蟎敏感（HDMs）是加劇哮喘的其中重要因素。我們目的是研究塵蟎過敏是否在秋季作為一項哮喘加重因素；同時對比其他季節，探究多種細胞因數和化學因數在秋季哮喘加重時的特異性表現。方法：我們檢測因急性哮喘加重前往急診部病者的總免疫球蛋白E（IgE）、塵蟎特異性免疫球蛋白E（sIgE）、多種細胞因數和化學因數水平，按季節進行分類。結果：HDM-sIgE水平在秋季哮喘加重病者中較高。秋季和其他季節的細胞因數和化學因數水平無區別。結論：塵蟎過敏可能是秋季哮喘加重的一項危險因素。