Markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

Abstract

COPD is characterised by damage to small airways due to an inflammatory process as well as an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants. Several cytokines and cell adhesion molecules enhancing a mainly neutrophilic inflammation have been associated with COPD. The aim of the study was to investigate whether inflammation or oxidative markers gave an indication of the course of COPD during an exacerbation. Fourteen patients with moderate to severe COPD admitted to the St. Antonius Hospital because of an exacerbation have been monitored during treatment with prednisolone 50 mg intravenously during 24 h at admission, reduced to 25 mg at day 3 and tapered off with oral prednisolone at day 7. On three separate occasions, day 1, 3 and 7, H2O2 in exhaled air, IL-8 and the soluble cell adhesion molecule sICAM and sE-selectin in serum were measured. We compared the patients at day 1 with healthy controls (in both non-smokers and smokers). Furthermore, we examined the changes from the study group in time during therapy. At admission all the markers were raised in comparison with the control groups. During treatment H2O2 concentrations in breath condensate declined significantly (P<0.001) as well as IL-8 and sICAM in serum (P=0.002, respectively, P<0.001). There was no significant change in sE-selectin (P=0.132). No significant improvement has been found in spirometry. These data suggest that the markers H2O2 in exhaled air, IL-8 and sICAM in serum are suitable markers in monitoring exacerbated COPD.

Documentation of Impaired Coronary Blood Flow in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients

“…26,33,34 In COPD presence of endothelial dysfunction was also demonstrated. 35 Therefore, endothelial dysfunction might represent another link between COPD and SCF, whether it was initiated by smoking, inflammation or COPD itself.…”

Exhaled breath condensate biomarkers in COPD

“…While no formal safety studies have been performed in COPD patients, there have been no adverse effects reported in studies in which EBC has been successfully collected from patients with unstable and severe COPD [13,14]. Transmission of infection between subjects using nondisposable EBC collection systems is theoretically possible, although bacterial DNA cross-contamination was not observed in a study of EBC taken from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) [15].…”

“…It is easy to perform, relatively inexpensive and studies have reported good intra-assay reproducibility [14,43]. However, despite the use of identical ELISA kits in similar patient groups, the levels of biomarkers quoted between different studies have varied considerably.…”

Hydrogen Peroxide in the Troposphere

“…Obrambeni mehanizmi organizma uklju~uju enzime za inaktivaciju peroksida i brojne spojeve za hvatanje slobodnih radikala (4). Oksidativni stres, prouzro~en neravnote`om izme|u napada oksidansa (one~i{}enja iz zraka) i antioksidacijskih procesa mo`e dovesti do o{te}enja plu}a i nastanka kroni~nih opstruktivnih bolesti plu}a (5). Kod prometnih policajaca u Indiji mjerenja su pokazala da izlo`enost prometu smanjuje razine antioksidansa poput katalaze, superoksid dismutaze i glutation peroksida.…”

“…Reakcije [2], [3], [5] i [19] glavni su izvor OH radikala u troposferi. Reakcija [19] obi~no te~e na vi{im nadmorskim visinama, u sredinama gdje je zbog niskog sadr`aja vodene pare ograni~ena reakcija [3].…”