D3.127 - Evaluation of Serum Ezrin Levels and Spirometric and Plethysmographic Tests in Patients with Allergic and Non-Allergic Asthma

Asthma is a heterogeneous disease includes several phenotypes, primarily allergic and non-allergic asthma. Ezrin is a membrane-associated actin-binding protein released from airway epithelial cells and is thought to be involved in airway inflammation and epithelial injury.This study aimed to evaluate serum ezrin levels and their association with spirometric and plethysmographic parameters in pediatric patients with allergic and non-allergic asthma.

Between February and May 2025, 80 pediatric patients with asthma were enrolled, including 38 with allergic asthma and 42 with non-allergic asthma. Patients were classified as underweight, normal weight, or overweight according to body mass index. Sociodemographic characteristics, allergic evaluations, and pulmonary function tests were recorded for all participants. Serum ezrin levels were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.

The study population consisted of 25 females(31.2%) and 55 males(68.8%), with a mean age of 11.27±2.69 years. Overall, 32.5% of patients were underweight, 50% were of normal weight, and 17.5% were overweight. There weren’t significant differences between allergic and non-allergic asthma groups in terms of age, sex, BMI, disease duration and serum ezrin levels(p>0.05). Serum ezrin levels weren’t associated with BMI, eosinophil count, allergen sensitization, disease duration, comorbid allergic diseases, history of anaphylaxis, tobacco smoke exposure or family history of atopy. A significant negative correlation was observed between serum ezrin levels and age(r=−0.32; p=0.04). A positive correlation was found between disease duration and airway resistance, and a negative correlation between disease duration and airway conductance(r=0.23 and r=−0.23, respectively; p=0.03 for both). In the non-allergic asthma group, overweight patients had lower airway conductance and higher airway resistance compared with the other two groups, while underweight patients had higher residual volume(p<0.05). In the allergic asthma group, underweight patients had higher airway conductance than the other groups, overweight patients had higher airway resistance compared with underweight patients(p<0.05).

The absence of an association between serum ezrin levels and asthma phenotype suggests that ezrin may not be directly related to allergic inflammation. However, the observed relationship between higher ezrin levels and impaired airway conductance supports a potential role for ezrin in airway inflammation and epithelial injury in asthma. Further large-scale studies are required to clarify its clinical relevance.