الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The concept of asthma phenotype has emerged over the last decades thereby recognizing that beyond the common ground defining the disease, asthmatics may differ by several characteristics. Allergic asthma is the first asthma phenotype to have been described in the first half of the previous century. Allergic asthma is typically diagnosed based on symptoms triggered by allergen exposure and atopy can be confirmed by testing skin prick reactivity to common aeroallergens or by measuring specific serum immunoglobulin E (IgE). This definition of atopic and non-atopic asthma is widely used when designing and analyzing studies on the genetic, environmental, and immunological determinants and characteristics of asthma. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is an early pleiotropic pro-inflammatory multifactorial cytokine with a key role in host defense. There is strong evidence supporting the central role of interleukin-6 in the inflammatory response. Many cell types, including airway epithelial cells, monocytes, macrophages, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, T lymphocytes, mast cells, adipose tissue, produce IL-6 and mediate the inflammatory as well as the stress-induced response. The aim of our study was to evaluate IL-6 levels in atopic and non-atopic asthmatic children to investigate the role of IL6 in the pathogenesis of atopic and non-atopic asthma and to study who can benefit more from biological treatment including monoclonal antibodies against IL-6 or IL-6 receptor antagonists. Sixty Egyptian children, divided into 3 groups (each=20), were included in the study: Atopic BA (with elevated IgE levels): included 16 males and 4 females with mean age of 8.76±2.02 years. Non-atopic BA (without elevated IgE levels): included 11 males and 9 females with mean age of 9.29±2.91years. Healthy controls: included 12 males and 8 females with mean age of 10.15±2.49 years. Results: There was no inter-groups (Atopic BA, Non atopic BA and Control) statistically significance difference as regard age and sex (P1, P2 and P3>0.05). There was statistically significant difference in-between groups (Atopic BA vs Control) as regard Weight (P1=0.024), where atopic children had less weight than controls (28 vs 36.7). There was no statistically significant difference in-between groups (nonatopic BA vs control and atopic BA vs non-atopic BA) as regard Weight (P2 and P3=0.15 and 0.29, respectively). Conclusions : The information on the level of IL6 in atopic and non atopic asthmatic patients has been limited which is very important in adding value for anti IL6 in treatment of either .This study demonstrated that IL6 might not be associated with atopic asthma rather than non-atopic asthma and has poor predictive value in differentiating between them as compared to IgE and IL6 is not a reliable marker in differentiating between atopic and non atopic asthma. This study speculated that IgE has an excellent predictive value in differentiating between atopic asthma and non-atopic asthma. Key words: Serum level - interleukin 6 - atopic bronchial asthma - non-atopic bronchial asthma.