Our data agree with those of other studies showing that corticosteroids decreasethe number of activated T cells expressing messenger RNA of IL-4 and IL-5 in the BALfluid of asthma patients, regardless of the severity of the asthma.(43) Our results also show that treatment with prednisone or prednisolone caneffect a four-fold reduction in sputum ECP levels. This evidence concerns the gene IL4 and asthma.