The serum periostin and EDN levels may be used as predictors to discriminate the eosinophilic asthma group from patients having eosinophilic or mixed granulocytic asthma, and the serum folliculin level is significantly elevated in patients with paucigranulocytic asthma compared to those with different inflammatory cell profile.
The timing and extent of bone injury needs consideration if periostin is used as a biomarker in the management of eosinophilic asthma.<i>Trial registration</i> This trial was prospectively registered with the Australia New Zealand Trials Registry on Feb 7 2014, (ACTRN12614000151639: https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=363881).
Unlike serum periostin, which may be derived from several sources outside the lung, airways periostin is a useful marker of severe eosinophilic asthma and may help to phenotype patients that will respond to the biologic agents.
The present article reviews the utility of FeNO and serum periostin levels in a single-marker approach and in a multiple-marker approach in identifying patients with severe type-2/eosinophilic asthma.
Several biomarkers of eosinophilic asthma are easily available in clinical practice (blood eosinophils, serum IgE, exhaled nitric oxyde, serum periostin).