SELECTED ARTICLES FROM THE RECENT LITERATURE 2005
12/2/05
Aspirin induced 15-HETE secretion by blood leukocytes
Summary
Background - Previous studies by this group have shown that aspirin (ASA) stimulates generation of 15-HETE, a pro-inflammatory prostanoid mediator from the blood leukocytes (PBL) of ASA sensitive (AS) but not if ASA tolerant (AT) patients with asthma and/or rhinosinusitis. But is the finding of diagnostic value?
Findings - Kowalski et al of the Medical Univ in Lodz, Poland extended their studies by comparing patterns of in vitro 15-HETE secretion by PBL with/without ASA co-incubation. The PBL were obtained from 43 AS asthmatics, 35 AT asthmatics and 17 healthy control (HC) subjects.
PBL from the 3 groups of subjects secreted similar amounts of 15-HETE when incubated without ASA. However, ASA incubated PBL of the AS group secreted markedly increased levels of 15-HETE (mean - 421%) while ASA stimulated small, non-significant release of 15-HETE from PBL of the AT and HC subjects.
The sensitivity of this ASA effect in AS subjects was 83% with a specificity of 82% and positive predictive value of 0.79.
Reference
Allergy 2005;60:1139-456
Editor's Comments
These findings are of potential value in supporting a clinical impression of AS asthma/rhinosinusitis but not completely. Remaining questions include: 1) why did naproxen (an NSAID) stimulate 15-HETE in PBL of only some AS patients? 2) if baseline (no ASA incubation) secretion of 15-HETE by PBL of AS patients is not increased, why does asyjma in AS patients persist even when ASA is avoided? In comparison, urinary leukotriene levels of AS patients are usually increased even when ASA is avoided by the patient.
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