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PMID: 10607796 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Ongoing airway inflammation in patients with COPD who do not currently smoke.

Thorax ·Vol. 55 ·No. 1 ·2000-01-00 ·Pages 12-8

Rutgers SR, Postma DS, ten Hacken NH, Kauffman HF, van Der Mark TW, Koëter GH, Timens W

Abstract

Inflammatory changes in the airways in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are largely attributed to smoking, yet they may be present even if patients do not currently smoke. The differences in inflammatory cells and the factors contributing to these differences were examined in the airways of patients with COPD who do not currently smoke. Eighteen non-atopic subjects with COPD (14 men) of mean (SD) age 62 (8) years and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)) 59 (13)% predicted and 11 non-atopic healthy subjects (eight men) of mean (SD) age 58 (8) years, FEV(1) 104 (11)% predicted were studied. Sputum induction and bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and biopsies were performed. Patients with COPD had more mucosal EG2+ cells (eosinophils) (median (range) 40 (0-190) versus 5 (0-40) cells/mm(2), p = 0.049) and CD68+ cells (1115 (330-2920) versus 590 (450-1580) cells/mm(2), p = 0.03), and a tendency towards more CD4+ but not CD8+ lymphocytes than healthy controls. Furthermore, patients with COPD had higher percentages of sputum neutrophils (77 (29-94) versus 36 (18-60)%, p = 0.001) and eosinophils (1.2 (0-8.5) versus 0.2 (0-3.1)%, p = 0.008), BAL fluid eosinophils (0.4 (0-1.7) versus 0.2 (0-0.5)%, p = 0.03), and higher concentrations of sputum eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) (838 (115-23 760) versus 121 (35-218) ng/ml, p<0.001). Concentrations of ECP expressed per eosinophil were not higher. Patients with COPD with high mucosal EG2+ cell numbers also had high mucosal CD4+ cell numbers. Sputum eosinophilia was associated with a decrease in FEV(1)/VC and BAL fluid eosinophilia with a decrease in mucosal NP57+ cells (neutrophils). Subjects with COPD who do not currently smoke have increased numbers of inflammatory cells. Eosinophils are increased in number in the airways in COPD but do not seem to be activated. The increased eosinophil numbers are probably due to recruitment as a result of ongoing inflammation. Macrophages and lymphocytes may play a part in this inflammation.

MeSH Terms
Biopsy/methods Bronchitis/metabolism,pathology Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/cytology Eosinophils/metabolism Female Forced Expiratory Volume/physiology Humans Lung Diseases, Obstructive/pathology,physiopathology Macrophages/metabolism Male Middle Aged Neutrophils/metabolism Vital Capacity/physiology
Authors & Affiliations
7 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Rutgers S R
Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands.
Postma D S
ten Hacken N H
Kauffman H F
van Der Mark T W
Koëter G H
Timens W
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Article Info
Journal
Thorax
Abbr.
Thorax
ISSN
0040-6376
DOI
10.1136/thorax.55.1.12
Published
2000-01-00
Pages
12-8
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
0417353
PMCID
PMC1745599
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1136/thorax.55.1.12 PMC Full Text View journal details
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