769 Is the Eosinophyl Cationic Protein a Predictive Marker of Allergic Risk in Newborns?

Aim: To evaluate a) relationships between eosinophyl cationic protein (ECP) in cord blood serum and eosinophyl counts (EC) in nasal and rectal mucosas in newborns with family history of allergic diseases (FHa) and intrauterine exposition to allergens (IEA); b) to set up a diagnostic score for the predictivity of allergic diseases. Patients and Methods: 27 newborns (13 F, mean GA : 277 days, mean BW: 3890 g) were included ; FHa and IEA was evaluated, a blood sample collected from cord blood to measure serum ECP, nasal and rectal tampons executed at birth to count eosinophyls. Statist ical analysis: Anova test and t-student test. Results: 11 newborns had FHa, and 2 had IEA (group A). We attributed a score from 0 to 3 at the FHa and the IEA. Group A got 11 points, while the group without a family risk of atopy got 4 points. The mean values of ECP value was 65.5 µ/ml in group A and 7.8 µ/ml in group B (p< 0.05). The exposition frequency was 61% in group A and 33% in group B. The cytologic research did not find any eosinophilic cell in rectal or nasal mucosa. Conclusions: The difference of exposition frequencies between the 2 groups suggests more intensive eosinofilic activation in exposed newborns. The identification of newborns at “extremely high atopic risk” (ECP>13,5 µg/l, FHa and IEA) with the assignment of a diagnostic score in clinical practice can be useful to apply early environmental and dietary prevention measures.