Serum laminin levels in eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

Abstract

Aim: To compare serum laminin levels in eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic (neutrophilic) COPD patients and to define its association with disease severity. Material and Method: This prospective study included patients with mild, moderate, severe, and very severe stable COPD and a control group of patients with a history of smoking but with no signs or symptoms of COPD. Spirometric measurements and Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria, was used to define the disease severity. Blood eosinophil percentage was recorded from complete blood counts. Serum laminin levels were measured in all patients. Results: A total of 216 patients were included in the study. Ninety were in the eosinophilic COPD, 90 were in the non-eosinophilic COPD and 36 were in the control groups. In both COPD groups, serum laminin levels were significantly higher than in the control group (P = 0.001). In the eosinophilic COPD group, serum laminin levels were significantly higher than the non-eosinophilic COPD group (P = 0.001). With an increase in COPD severity, laminin levels were higher in both COPD groups (P = 0.001). In correlation analysis performed in all COPD patients, laminin levels were positively correlated with eosinophilia percentage (r = 0.316, P = 0.001) and negatively correlated with the FEV1/FVC ratio (r = -0.160, P = 0. 032). Conclusion: Laminin has an important role in eosinophilic COPD and increased serum laminin levels are associated with an increase in serum eosinophilia percentage and a decrease in respiratory capacity.