Background: High sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) have been shown to be associated with asthma in recent studies. However, the relationship between hs-CRP and the control of asthma has not been clearly identified yet.Patients and methods: Thirty patients with newly-diagnosed bronchial asthma and 20 healthy individuals were enrolled in this study. In addition to medical history and physical examination, asthma was assessed according to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines. Respiratory function tests (RFT), serum hs-CRP and ECP levels, serum total IgE levels, circulating eosinophil count (CE) and asthma control test (ACT) were performed for all subjects.Results: Serum ECP, serum hs-CRP, serum total IgE and CE were significantly higher (p < 0.01, 0.01, 0.05 and 0.05, respectively), while forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 %) and ACT were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in asthmatic patients compared to the control group. In all patients with bronchial asthma, serum levels of hs-CRP and ECP showed significant positive correlations with asthma severity (hs-CRP, r s = 0.59, p < 0.01; ECP, r s = 0.63, p < 0.01, respectively) but, significant negative correlations with ACT (hs-CRP, r s = À0.53, p < 0.05; ECP, r s = À0.62, p < 0.01, respectively) and FEV 1 % (hs-CRP, r s = À0.46, p < 0.05; ECP, r s = À0.57, p < 0.01, respectively). Serum ECP and hs-CRP levels showed significant fall (p < 0.01and p < 0.05, respectively), while, FEV 1 % and ACT showed significant increase (p < 0.05) in asthmatic patients who were followed up after 2 months of therapy.
