OBJECTIVETo study the association of blood lipids with the development, clinical stage, allergic condition, and pulmonary function of asthma.

METHODSA total of 56 children with asthma who attended the hospital between October 2016 and March 2017 were enrolled as the asthma group, and 46 children who underwent physical examination as the healthy control group. According to the clinical manifestations, the children with asthma were divided into acute exacerbation group (n=24) and chronic persistent group (n=32). According to the results of skin prick test (SPT) and serum IgE measurement, the children with asthma were divided into non-allergic asthma group (n=16) and allergic asthma group (n=38). Fasting blood lipid levels were measured in both asthma and control groups. Pulmonary function tests were performed for asthmatic children.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in blood lipid levels between the asthma and control groups (P>0.05). The acute exacerbation group had significantly lower serum levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and total cholesterol compared with the control group and the chronic persistent group (P<0.05). The allergic asthma group had a significantly lower serum HDL level than the non-allergic asthma group (P<0.05). In asthmatic children aged 6-13 years, the ratios of the measured values to the predicted values for forced vital capacity, peak expiratory flow, and maximal expiratory flow at 50% of vital capacity had a linear regression relationship with HDL and were positively correlated with HDL (P<0.05). Forced expiratory volume in one second and maximal mid-expiratory flow had a linear regression relationship with both HDL and LDL and were positively correlated with them (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBlood lipids are associated with the clinical stage, allergic condition, and lung function of childhood asthma. This indicates that blood lipids may be involved in several aspects of the pathogenesis of childhood asthma.