关键词: 哮喘, 血管内皮功能, 骨膜蛋白, 精氨酸酶I

Abstract: Objective To analyze the relationship between endothelial function-related biomarkersin serum of asthmatic children and the prognosis of asthma,so as to provide evidence for the assessment of asthma prognosis. Methods A total of 89 asthmatic patients aged 5-14 years in Changzhou Children's Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University were enrolled in this study from October 2016 to December 2017,and meanwhile 92 healthy children were selected in control group.Serum samples of the participants were collected for measurement of concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),periostin,adiponectin(APN),leptin and inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) activity using ELISA and other commercial kits.Serum concentrations of L-arginine,asymmetric dimethylarginine(ADMA) and symmetric dimethylarginine(SDMA) were measured by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(HPLC-MS/MS).Children were followed up for one year,and the number of wheezing occurred in this period was recorded.Data were analyzed by orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) in order to screen endothelial function-related biomarkers that showed crucial influence on the prognosis of asthma. Results Serum levels of arginase I(Arg I),periostin,VEGF and leptin as well as iNOS activity significantly increased in asthmatic children,while L-arginine content decreased in children with asthma(P<0.05).The OPLS-DA model showed that asthma group and control group could be distinguished based on endothelial function-related multi-markers.The variable importance factor(VIP) values of Arg I,iNOS activity and VEGF were 2.11,1.23 and 1.09,respectively,indicating them as key endothelial function-related biomarkers for distinguishing asthma children from control group.Finally 70 children finished one-year follow-up.Compared with non-recurrent wheezing group(n=43),recurrent wheezing group(n=27) had increasing levels of serum ADMA and Arg I,as well as decreasing levels of periostin and APN(P＜0.05).Both S-plot and VIP values of the OPLS-DA model indicated that APN,periostin,and Arg I were key endothelial function-related markers that could distinguish the two groups. Conclusions The homeostasis of vascular endothelial function-related markers is disrupted in the circulation of asthmatic children.APN,POSTN and Arg I have good predictive value for the prognosis of asthma in children.

Key words: asthma, endothelial function, periostin, arginase I