The Diagnostic Value of Antibodies to Neutrophil Elastase in Nafld and Copd Patients

Abstract

This article presents data on the influence of enzymatic activity of serum on the processes of liver fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Clinical, biochemical, immunological research methods and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used in the work. All patients were determined for the degree of liver fibrosis using a non-invasive method – Fibromax. It was found that in patients with NAFLD and COPD with frequent exacerbations, the levels of CRP, IL-6, TNF-α and neopterin are significantly higher than in patients who had one or no exacerbation of COPD. Stably high levels of systemic inflammation markers of TNF-α, neopterin, CRP lead to the activation of TGF-β, which increases with the deepening stage of liver fibrosis. The average values of IgG antibodies to neutrophil elastase significantly increase depending on the stage of fibrotic changes in the liver and the activity of inflammatory changes in it, with the highest concentration in fibrosis F2. In F3-4 fibrosis, the levels of antibodies to elastase are reduced, although they remain higher than the control values. Significant increase IgG antibody levels to neutrophil elastase depending on the stage of fibrosis and the activity of inflammatory changes indicates the role of serum enzymatic activity in the mechanisms of formation of more severe stages of NAFLD and can be considered as additional diagnostic markers.