Serum eosinophil cationic protein as a potential biomarker for interleukin-5 antibody treatment in patients with severe uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma

Serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) has been described as a marker reflecting activation of eosinophils in asthma, potentially correlating to airway inflammation. Our aim was to examine the role of serum ECP to predict treatment efficacy in asthmatics starting interleukin-5 antibody (anti-IL5) therapy. We evaluated 65 patients with severe, uncontrolled eosinophilic asthma (≥300 eosinophils per µl blood) before and approx. 4 months after initiation of anti-IL5 therapy with mepolizumab; 35 patients completed a 12 month follow-up. Evaluation of treatment efficacy included medical history, asthma questionnaires, physical examination, spirometry, exhaled NO and blood tests. Depending on the …