Abstract
The number and significance of airway eosinophils in stable COPD is controversial. Aims of this study were to evaluate airway inflammation in patients with stable COPD compared with other groups, and to examine the correlations between inflammatory markers and functional indices of airway obstruction. Cellular analysis and evaluation of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels in induced sputum were made in 46 subjects (10 patients with clinically stable COPD, 15 patients with asthma, 11 asymptomatic smokers, and 10 healthy control subjects). As expected, eosinophils were significantly (p <0.01) higher in patients with asthma (22.2%) than in other groups (COPD, 0.7%; smokers, 0.2%; control subjects, 0.2%), and neutrophils were significantly (p <0.01) higher in patients with COPD (77.5%) than in the other groups (asthma, 26.7%; smokers, 33.1%; control subjects, 35.9%). However, eosinophils were also increased in patients with COPD, as compared with healthy controls (p <0.05). Sputum ECP levels were significantly and similarly higher in both asthma and COPD groups than in the other two groups (p <0.01). In patients with COPD and asymptomatic smokers, considered as a whole, good correlations were found between eosinophils and ECP, on the one hand, and between FEV1 and the FEV1/FVC ratio, on the other. Our data suggest that eosinophils may be involved in the airway inflammation of COPD.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1486-1492 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine |
| Volume | 160 |
| Issue number | 5 I |
| Publication status | Published - 1999 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Cite this
Eosinophilic inflammation in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease : Relationship with neutrophils and airway function. / Balzano, Giovanni; Stefanelli, Francesco; Iorio, Carmela; De Felice, Alberto; Melillo, Enrico M.; Martucci, Michele; Melillo, Gaetano.
In: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Vol. 160, No. 5 I, 1999, p. 1486-1492.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Eosinophilic inflammation in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
T2 - Relationship with neutrophils and airway function
AU - Balzano, Giovanni
AU - Stefanelli, Francesco
AU - Iorio, Carmela
AU - De Felice, Alberto
AU - Melillo, Enrico M.
AU - Martucci, Michele
AU - Melillo, Gaetano
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - The number and significance of airway eosinophils in stable COPD is controversial. Aims of this study were to evaluate airway inflammation in patients with stable COPD compared with other groups, and to examine the correlations between inflammatory markers and functional indices of airway obstruction. Cellular analysis and evaluation of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels in induced sputum were made in 46 subjects (10 patients with clinically stable COPD, 15 patients with asthma, 11 asymptomatic smokers, and 10 healthy control subjects). As expected, eosinophils were significantly (p <0.01) higher in patients with asthma (22.2%) than in other groups (COPD, 0.7%; smokers, 0.2%; control subjects, 0.2%), and neutrophils were significantly (p <0.01) higher in patients with COPD (77.5%) than in the other groups (asthma, 26.7%; smokers, 33.1%; control subjects, 35.9%). However, eosinophils were also increased in patients with COPD, as compared with healthy controls (p <0.05). Sputum ECP levels were significantly and similarly higher in both asthma and COPD groups than in the other two groups (p <0.01). In patients with COPD and asymptomatic smokers, considered as a whole, good correlations were found between eosinophils and ECP, on the one hand, and between FEV1 and the FEV1/FVC ratio, on the other. Our data suggest that eosinophils may be involved in the airway inflammation of COPD.
AB - The number and significance of airway eosinophils in stable COPD is controversial. Aims of this study were to evaluate airway inflammation in patients with stable COPD compared with other groups, and to examine the correlations between inflammatory markers and functional indices of airway obstruction. Cellular analysis and evaluation of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels in induced sputum were made in 46 subjects (10 patients with clinically stable COPD, 15 patients with asthma, 11 asymptomatic smokers, and 10 healthy control subjects). As expected, eosinophils were significantly (p <0.01) higher in patients with asthma (22.2%) than in other groups (COPD, 0.7%; smokers, 0.2%; control subjects, 0.2%), and neutrophils were significantly (p <0.01) higher in patients with COPD (77.5%) than in the other groups (asthma, 26.7%; smokers, 33.1%; control subjects, 35.9%). However, eosinophils were also increased in patients with COPD, as compared with healthy controls (p <0.05). Sputum ECP levels were significantly and similarly higher in both asthma and COPD groups than in the other two groups (p <0.01). In patients with COPD and asymptomatic smokers, considered as a whole, good correlations were found between eosinophils and ECP, on the one hand, and between FEV1 and the FEV1/FVC ratio, on the other. Our data suggest that eosinophils may be involved in the airway inflammation of COPD.
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M3 - Article
VL - 160
SP - 1486
EP - 1492
JO - American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
JF - American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
SN - 1073-449X
IS - 5 I
ER -