Background:Rhinitis affects the quality of life of asthma patients. Type-2 inflammation underlies the pathogenesis of both diseases. Serum periostin has been recognized as a predictive type-2 biomarker. The increased serum periostin in association with asthma-related quality of life with regard to the presence of allergic rhinosinusitis(AR) was investigated.

Objectives:To compare the serum periostin levels in Thai asthma patients with and without AR. The correlation between serum periostin level, asthma control test score(ACT), and the mini-asthma-related quality questionnaire(mini-AQLQ) score was examined.

Methods:A prospective study was conducted on adult asthma patients. Three consecutive groups of participants were categorized into asthma patients with and without AR and the control subjects. The ACT, AQLQ, and spirometry were performed. The serum-specific IgE for the respiratory allergens, blood eosinophils, and serum periostin were measured simultaneously during stable diseases.

Results:A total of 193 participants were recruited. There were 17 control subjects, 63 asthma patients with AR, and 113 asthma patients without AR. The ACT, mini-AQLC, and spirometry were not different in both asthmatic groups. The serum periostin in asthma with AR, asthma without AR, and control subjects were 348.92 ng/ml, 369.38 ng/ml, and 369.63 ng/ml respectively (p-value=0.96). Neither the ACT score nor the mini-AQLQ score correlated with serum periostin.

Conclusion:The expression of serum periostin was noted in stable well-controlled asthma regardless of AR. The lack of correlation between serum periostin and level of asthma control and asthma-related quality of life was observed.