Measurement of leukotriene B4 in arterial blood of asthmatic patients during wheezing attacks

To investigate whether leukotriene B4 is present in the arterial blood of asthmatic patients during wheezing attacks, 20 ml of arterial blood was drawn from the inguinal artery of five patients. Leukotriene B4 was detected in all five individuals, and its identity was confirmed by a combination of high pressure liquid chromatography and radioimmunoassay techniques. The concentration of leukotriene B4 was 48.34 +/- 16.27 pg ml-1 (mean value +/- SE). However, in five control subjects the leukotriene B4 concentration was found to be 9.43 +/- 5.44 pg ml-1. Thus there was a significant difference between the two groups (P less than 0.05). These results suggest that leukotriene B4 may be important in elucidation of the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma.