Periostin as an important biomarker of inflammatory phenotype T2 in Brazilian asthma patients

ABSTRACT

Objective:

The aim of this study was to assess the laboratory performance of periostin associated with a panel of biomarkers to identify the inflammatory phenotype of Brazilian asthma patients.

Methods:

We evaluated 103 Brazilian individuals, including 37 asthmatics and 66 nonasthmatic controls. Both groups underwent analyses for serum periostin, eosinophil levels in the peripheral blood, the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), total serum IgE, urinary leukotriene E₄, and serum cytokines.

Results:

Higher levels of periostin (p = 0.005), blood eosinophils (p = 0.012), FeNO (p = 0.001), total IgE (p < 0.001), and IL-6 (p ≤ 0.001) were found in the asthmatic patients than the controls. Biomarker analyses by the ROC curve showed an AUC greater than 65%. Periostin (OR: 12,550; 95% CI: 2,498-63,063) and IL-6 (OR: 7,249; 95% CI: 1,737-30,262) revealed to be suitable asthma inflammation biomarkers. Blood eosinophils, FeNO, total IgE, IL-6, TNF, and IFN-g showed correlations with clinical severity characteristics in asthmatic patients. Periostin showed higher values in T2 asthma (p = 0.006) and TNF in non-T2 asthma (p = 0.029).

Conclusion:

The panel of biomarkers proposed for the identification of the inflammatory phenotype of asthmatic patients demonstrated good performance. Periostin proved to be an important biomarker for the identification of T2 asthma.

Keywords:
Asthma; Biomarkers; Eosinophilia; Phenotype