Association between peripheral blood mononuclear cell expression and the asthma predictive index in preschool children.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess whether orosomucoid 1-like 3 (ORMDL3) expression and environmental and clinical factors are associated with wheezing episodes in preschool children.

METHODS

Children diagnosed with wheezing episodes were classified according to their asthma predictive index (API) in the past year as follows: API+ (≥4 wheezing episodes), API− (1–3 wheezing episodes), and API0 (without wheezing). ORMDL3 expression was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of expression and the API was performed for diagnosing wheezing episodes. Correlations between expression and asthma risk factors were examined using Spearman’s correlation.

RESULTS

PBMC expression was higher in the API+ group compared with the API− and API0 groups. The area under the curve for expression was 0.820 (95% confidence interval, 0.771–0.869). expression was positively correlated with the API ( = 0.447), infantile eczema ( = 0.499), wheezing ( = 0.516), total immunoglobulin E ( = 0.208), and environmental factors, including ( = 0.357), house dust mites ( = 0.112), dog fur ( = 0.226), and ( = 0.257). expression was negatively correlated with amaranth ( = −0.122).

CONCLUSIONS

expression in PBMCs is positively associated with the API and some asthma-related clinical and environmental risk factors in preschoolers.