Correlation between serum IgE, absolute eosinophil count and spirometry with FeNO in asthma patients attending a tertiary care centre in South India
Abstract Background Asthma is a chronic, heterogeneous airway disease characterized by variable inflammation and airflow obstruction. Traditional diagnostic tools such as spirometry may not adequately reflect the underlying inflammatory processes. This study evaluates the correlation between fractio...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SpringerOpen
2025-07-01
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| Series: | The Egyptian Journal of Bronchology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s43168-025-00430-1 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Background Asthma is a chronic, heterogeneous airway disease characterized by variable inflammation and airflow obstruction. Traditional diagnostic tools such as spirometry may not adequately reflect the underlying inflammatory processes. This study evaluates the correlation between fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), absolute eosinophil count (AEC), and spirometric parameters in asthma patients to assess FeNO’s utility as a biomarker for disease control and inflammation. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted over 3 months at the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sree Uthradom Thirunal Academy of Medical Sciences, Kerala. Sixty-two asthma patients aged over 12 years were enrolled based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data collected included FeNO levels, AEC, serum IgE, Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores, FEV1/FVC ratio, and post-bronchodilator FEV1 percentage change. Non-parametric correlation analyses were performed using Spearman’s rho and Pearson’s r as appropriate. Results The study population had a mean age of 35.6 years, with an average ACT score of 17.0, indicating suboptimal asthma control. FeNO levels showed a strong negative correlation with ACT score (ρ = − 0.865, p < 0.001) and FEV1/FVC ratio (r = − 0.819, p < 0.001), and a strong positive correlation with AEC (ρ = 0.697, p < 0.001), serum IgE (ρ = 0.824, p < 0.001), and FEV1 reversibility (ρ = 0.903, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that higher FeNO levels are associated with increased eosinophilic inflammation, atopy, airflow obstruction, and bronchodilator responsiveness. Conclusion FeNO is a reliable, non-invasive biomarker that correlates strongly with asthma control, airway obstruction, and markers of systemic eosinophilic inflammation. It can serve as an integrative tool for phenotyping asthma and guiding personalized treatment, especially in resource-limited settings. |
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| ISSN: | 2314-8551 |