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Background: : Serum and sputum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels are correlated with asthma disease severity., Objective: : To establish a diagnostic accuracy of ECP and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum (indirectly) and sputum (directly) as inflammatory markers in asthma., Patients and Methods: : In a cross sectional study, 76 asthmatic patients with exacerbation were enrolled in the study. ECP was determined using enzyme linked immuno-assay., Results: : Asthmatic patients compared with control subjects, had a significant higher levels of ECP and LDH in sputum. Both sputum and serum ECP and LDH were reduced significantly with prednisolone treatment. FEV1 was inversely correlated with sputum ECP, serum ECP, and sputum LDH. A significant positive correlation was noted between sputum ECP and sputum LDH. Serum LDH does not demonstrate any significant correlations with other variables. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve showed that sputum ECP (0.92) was a significantly an accurate marker more than serum ECP (0.81), sputum (0.80) LDH, and serum (0.65) LDH. Furthermore, the area under curve was lower for serum ECP (0.81) than that for sputum ECP (0.92). However, serum ECP (0.81) was more accurate marker than serum LDH (0.65)., Conclusion: : Serum and sputum ECP as eosinophilic inflammatory markers are associated with poor asthma control. Sputum ECP and LDH were significantly an accurate markers more than serum ECP and LDH.

Objective: To estimate the predictive value of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration and pH as non-invasive markers in asthma., Methods: Fifty patients with unstable, steroid naive atopic asthma were included in the study, 25 with intermittent asthma and 25 with persistent asthma. Asthma diagnosis was according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was measured by computerized spirometry. The EBC H2O2 assay was carried out using the colorimetric assay. The study was conducted from January to December 2005 in the Asthma and Allergy Center, Tikrit, Iraq., Results: The EBC H2O2 concentration was higher in the asthmatic group (0.91 micromol) as compared with the control (0.23 micromol). There was an inverse correlation between EBC H2O2 concentration and FEV1 predicted percent for asthmatic patients. The mean EBC pH was lower in the asthmatic than the control group. There was a positive correlation between EBC pH and FEV1 predicted percent for asthmatic patients. There was an inverse correlation between EBC H2O2 concentration and pH for all asthmatic patients, intermittent, and persistent asthmatic groups., Conclusion: Exhaled breath condensate hydrogen peroxide concentration and pH was a good non-invasive marker for asthma, whether it was with a persistent or intermittent course.

A school survey of 4461 primary-school children was carried out. The epidemiological, clinical and mycological features of tinea capitis were recorded. Of 204 clinically diagnosed cases, mycological examination of hair and scalp scrapings gave positive results in 120, a prevalence of 2.7%. Of these 120, 56 were from urban schools and 64 from rural schools. The male to female ratio was 2:1. The prevalence of tinea capitis was higher in children with a low socioeconomic profile, i.e. low standard of living, poor hygiene, low level of parental education and overcrowded living conditions. Intrafamilial infection was found in 27.5% of cases and new settlers to the area accounted for 23.3% of total cases.