A comparative study on the utility of biomarkers – serum interleukin-13 against serum immunoglobulin E in assessing the severity of asthma

Abstract

Introduction and aim. Asthma is a complex respiratory condition with fluctuating symptoms, airflow obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and inflammation. Interleukin (IL)-13 induces various biological responses, including B-cell immunoglobulin E (IgE), eosinophil chemo-attractants, and mucus-secreting goblet cell maturation. B-cell immunoglobulin E antibodies are essential for the onset and propagation of the inflammatory cascade, triggering the allergic response. The aim was to compare the utility of biomarkers – serum IL-13 against serum IgE in assessing the severity of asthma. Material and methods. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted involving 68 asthmatic children aged 6–12 years and 68 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Asthma severity was assessed using spirometry and categorized as mild, moderate, or severe based on GINA guidelines. Serum IL-13 and IgE levels were measured using validated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results. The study confirmed elevated levels of serum IL-13 and IgE in children with asthma compared to the control group, suggesting their involvement in the development of asthma (p<0.001). The threshold values for identifying the existence of asthma were 1.86 pg/mL for IL-13 and 314 ng/ml for IgE. The IL-13 level could accurately classify asthmatic children as having either moderate or severe asthma, using a cut-off value of ≥2.66 pg/mL, with a statistically significant p=0.001. However, no such results were observed with IgE. Conclusion. Bronchial asthma patients had markedly higher levels of total IgE and IL-13 compared to the healthy controls included in the study. Furthermore, it has been shown that IL-13 plays a role in discerning the extent of asthma severity.