Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between therapeutic efficacy in children with asthma and interleukin-13 (IL-13) rs20541 polymorphisms. METHODS: Fifty children with moderate-to-severe asthma were assigned to the GG, GA, and AA groups according to the IL-13 gene locus rs20541 polymorphism. The patients received budesonide inhalation suspension 1 mg twice daily combined with fluticasone propionate 80 µg/inhalation. The improvement of clinical symptoms (gasping, coughing, and wheezing), improvement of lung function, and adverse reactions were observed. RESULTS: Lung function did not significantly differ among three groups before treatment. After treatment, the time to symptom relief was significantly shorter in the GG group than that in the other two groups. The forced expiratory volume in one second and percent predicted peak expiratory flow were also significantly better in the GG group than in the other two groups. CONCLUSION: Budesonide inhalation suspension combined with fluticasone propionate is an effective treatment regimen for moderate-to-severe asthma. Polymorphism of the IL-13 rs20541 locus may be correlated with therapeutic efficacy. Patients carrying the GG allele were more responsive than their counterparts with the GA or AA allele.