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Thorax 56:36-41 doi:10.1136/thorax.56.1.36
  • Original article

Relationship between airway inflammation and the frequency of exacerbations in patients with smoking related COPD

Table 4

Bronchial inflammation according to exacerbation frequency (patients with no bronchial dilatation)

MPO (units/ml) Elastase (nM) LTB4(nM) IL-8
(nM)
SLPI (μM) Sol:serum albumin ratio (%)
Frequent (n=8) 0.37 (0.16–0.49) 0.00 (0.00–6.40) 2.7 (0.9–5.6) 2.2 (0.9–6.2) 2.2 (1.4–3.8) 0.30 (0.30–0.68)
Infrequent (n=24) 0.30 (0.14–0.66) 0.00 (0.00–6.83) 4.5 (1.9–6.8) 2.7 (0.9–6.5) 4.54-150 (3.2–5.5) 0.59 (0.28–1.21)
  • MPO = myeloperoxidase; LTB4 = leukotriene B4; IL-8 = interleukin 8; SLPI = secretory leukoprotease inhibitor.

  • Frequent exacerbators had suffered from ⩾3 exacerbations in the previous 12 months; infrequent exacerbators from ⩽2 exacerbations.

  • The concentrations of the inflammatory mediators are shown as median (IQR).

  • 4-150 Concentration of sputum SLPI was significantly lower in the infrequent exacerbators (p<0.05).

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