BACKGROUND: COPD is characterized by chronic air-flow limitation. Smoking is the most important factor in the pathogenesis of COPD. Smoking is associated with increased oxidative stress in the lungs. In this study our aim was to evaluate the differences in the burden of oxidative stress in patients with COPD, smokers, and non-smokers by measuring hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), malondialdehyde (MDA), and 8-isoprostane levels in the exhaled breath condensate (EBC) samples. METHODS: Eighty subjects were included in the study. Group I (no. ‫؍‬ 25) had COPD, Group II (no. ‫؍‬ 26) was smokers, and Group III (no. ‫؍‬ 29) was nonsmokers. The severity of the COPD and dyspnea was assessed according to the results of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and Medical Research Council (MRC) scale. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 58 ؎ 8.9 years. While 8-isoprostane and H 2 O 2 levels were significantly higher in subjects with COPD (44.8 ؎ 40.2 pg/mL and 1.9 ؎ 0.8 mol/L) and smokers (41.3 ؎ 26 pg/mL and 1.7 ؎ 0.7 mol/L) than non-smokers (15.8 ؎ 6.9 pg/mL and 0.8 ؎ 0.4 mol/L), levels were similar between smokers and COPD subjects. MDA levels were similar between the 3 groups (P ‫؍‬ .31). There was no correlation between 8-isoprostane and H 2 O 2 levels and PFT parameters. There was a significant positive correlation between dyspnea grade on the MRC scale and 8-isoprostane levels (r ‫؍‬ 0.805, P < .001). CON-CLUSIONS: Even if respiratory function tests are within normal limits, oxidant burden in lungs of smokers is equivalent to that in COPD patients. 8-isoprostane could be useful in assessing symptom severity and health status of COPD patients.

TS exposure affected the balance between oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity of lungs. Preventing environmental TS exposure might decrease oxidative damage. Increased levels of 8-OHdG and SOD levels could be assessed as an early sign of airway damage.

Objective:To evaluate the prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the relationship between RLS and clinical/laboratory findings of COPD.Methods:One hundred and thirty-four COPD patients without secondary causes of RLS were included. Thirty-nine (29.1%) patients were diagnosed with RLS and classified as Group 1. The control group consisted of 65 age-matched COPD patients without RLS. Group 1 was divided into subgroups according to the Johns Hopkins Severity (JHS) scale. Patients with a score of 0, 1, or 2 were classified as JHS 0-2 and those with a score of 3 as JHS 3. Group 1 and the control group and subgroups were compared for clinical and laboratory characteristics.Results:We found that the duration of COPD was longer and that airway obstruction, hypercapnia, and hypoxia were more evident in patients with RLS than those without. Similar differences were also detected between JHS subgroups 3 (more severe) and 0-2. Polyneuropathy frequency was significantly higher in Group 1 compared to controls. However, Group 1 subgroups showed a similar frequency of polyneuropathy. In a multivariate analysis, hypercapnia made a significant independent contribution to both JHS 0-2 and JHS 3 patients when RLS severity was set as the dependent variable. Polyneuropathy and the duration of COPD were significant independent variables for patients in the JHS 3 subgroup. Polyneuropathy was the strongest predictor for the JHS 3 patients.Conclusions:We conclude that RLS is frequent in COPD, particularly in patients with severe hypoxemia/hypercapnia and in late stages of the disease.

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