Objective: Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF-α) are important inflammatory mediators in asthma and other allergic diseases. But their role is not clear in young children with wheezing. This study analyzed plasma levels of soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) and TNF-α in young children with persistent or recurrent wheeze.

Materials and Methods: Thirty children (aged 4- 24 months) with acute wheezing were recruited from pediatric outpatients of our hospital. The diagnosis of acute wheezing episodes was based on symptoms and the children with known causes of wheezing were excluded from the study. The study also consisted of 30 age-matched controls who admitted for anemia or mild trauma but had never wheezed before.

Results: In wheezy patients soluble ICAM-1 and TNF-α levels were significantly higher (815 ± 296 ng/mL and 253 ± 207 pg/mL respectively) during symptomatic period than symptom-free period (609 ± 280 ng/mL and 100 ± 86 pg/mL respectively) and both of first and second levels of these markers were higher in patients than in controls.

Conclusion: These results show that sICAM-1 and TNF-α levels increase in sera of children with wheezing and measurement of these molecules may be useful to show the presence and activation of airway inflammation in young wheezy children.