Influence of Inhaling Glucocorticoid on Imbalance of Interleukin-4/Interferon-γ of Infant with First Onset Wheezing

Objective To observe the regulating effect of inhaling glucocorticoid on imbalance of IL-4/interferon-γ(IFN-γ) cytokines in children with first onset wheezing .Methods IL-4 and IFN-γ levels were examined in separated serum of 60 children wheezing with first onset wheezing,they were divided into abnormal level of IL-4/IFN-γ group (n=38) and normal level of IL-4/IFN-γ group(n=22,group C) depending on the level of IL-4/IFN-γ,and 38 cases with abnormal level of IL-4/IFN-γ were randomly divided into group A and B.Group B and C were given routine treatment without intervening treatment,while group A inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate aerosols for 3 months after routine treatment.Twenty healthy children for routine physical examinations in the same period were selected as healthy control group,who were examined for IL-4 and IFN-γ with the same methods.Results Before treatment,the levels of IL-4 and IL-4/IFN-γ in group A and B were significantly higher than those in group C and healthy control group(Pa0.01,0.05).After treatment,the levels of IL-4 and IL-4/IFN-γ in group A were significantly lower than those in group B(P0.05,0.01).The occurrence rate that wheezing occured only more than 3 times in group A was significantly lower than that in group B(P0.05).Conclusions The level of serum IL-4 increases significantly in children first wheezing at the first time,with an imbalance of IL-4/IFN-γ within those children's serum.Inhaling glucocorticoid (ICS) can reduce the level of serum IL-4 in asthmatic children and regulate the imbalance of Th1/Th2 cytokines,also it can reduce the frequency of repeated wheezing effectively,which played a positive role in preventing asthma.