Changes in inflammatory markers following treatment of acute exacerbations of obstructive pulmonary disease.

The aim ofthe study was to investigate changes in inflammatory markers following emergency treatment of obstructive pulmonary disease. The study comprised 43 patients. After acute treatment, they were given either 30 mg of prednisolone p.o. or 1600 microg of inhaled budeson de daily for 1 week. Over the following 3 weeks, all the patients were given 1600 microg of inhaled budesonide daily. Blood samples for measurements of eosinophil cationic protein (S-ECP), eosinophil peroxidase (S-EPO), total eos nophil count (B-Eos), myeloperoxidase (S-MPO) and human neutrophil lipocaline (HNL) were taken and spirometry was performed before emergency treatment and after 1 and 4 weeks. There was no difference in the improvement in forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) between patients given prednisolone or budesonide. Patients with an improvement in FEV1 of >20% of baseline after 1 and 4 weeks displayed a larger decrease in eosinophil markers. The correlation between deltaFEV1 and deltaS-ECP was r= -0.37, P < 0.05, deltaS-EPO -0.40, P < 0.01 and deltaB-Eos -0.44, P < 0.01, after 4 weeks. This correlation was highly significant in patients who had smoked < or = 5 pack-years, while the correlation was not significant in patients with a longer smoking history and chronic airflow limitation (best FEV <80% of predicted). We conclude that the change in eosinophil markers is correlated to the improvement in lung function in non-smokers or short-term smokers following the emergency treatment of obstructive pulmonary disease. This study indicates that following eosinophil markers is more useful in patients with asthma than patients with COPD.

Delayed type of hypersensitivity and late allergic reactions in patients with stable COPD.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition, a common feature among patients with COPD, has adverse effects on the immune system. Delayed type of hypersensitivity (DTH) tests have been used to evaluate the nutritional and immune status of patients and to predict outcome in various conditions. DTH is known to be and late allergic reaction (LAR) has been suggested to be dependent on T-lymphocyte function. STUDY OBJECTIVES: To compare DTH and LAR tests in COPD patients and healthy controls, to investigate whether skin tests have any value in estimating nutritional status and outcome in COPD patients, and to see whether there is any relationship between DTH and LAR. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with stable COPD and 20 healthy controls were tested for DTH and LAR. The patients were investigated with spirometry and anthropometric measurements and were followed for 1 year. RESULTS: Both the LAR and DTH reactions were diminished in the patient group (p < 0.001) compared with controls. The skin tests did not correlate with anthropometric parameters. DTH correlated to lung function, which was expressed as FEV(1) (percent predicted) (r = 0.56; p < 0.01), and LAR correlated to the number of exacerbations (at 3 months, r = - 0.61; p < 0.01). No correlation was found between LAR and DTH reactions. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that patients with COPD in stable condition have diminished DTHs and LARs. Our results indicate that the magnitude of the LAR may be a prognostic marker in patients with COPD.

Inflammatory markers in acute exacerbations of obstructive pulmonary disease: predictive value in relation to smoking history.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the effect of emergency treatment and inflammatory markers in patients with acute exacerbations of obstructive pulmonary disease, especially with respect to smoking history. We investigated 50 unselected patients with acute bronchial obstruction. Blood, urine and sputum samples were taken and analysed for eosinophil and neutrophil markers. The patients were observed for at least 2 h and recordings of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) were taken. They were re-examined after 1 and 4 weeks. The absolute levels of inflammatory markers did not differ significantly between non- or short-term smokers (< or = 5 pack-years) and long-term smokers (> 5 pack-years) with the exception of myeloperoxidase in serum (S-MPO), which was higher in long-term smokers. The patients with higher levels of eosinophil markers before emergency treatment experienced a greater improvement in lung function. In non- or short-term smokers this relationship was found in blood and urine, whereas in long-term smokers it was seen in sputum. No correlation was found between neutrophil markers and changes in lung function. We conclude that patients with obstructive pulmonary disease with acute exacerbations and high levels of eosinophil markers respond well to treatment.

Age-dependent effect of oral glucocorticoids on markers of bone resorption in patients with acute asthma.

It is generally accepted that bone formation is depressed during corticosteroid treatment, but the effects of glucocorticoids on bone resorption are less well characterized. We have investigated the effects of short-term treatment with high-dose oral glucocorticoids on biochemical markers of bone turnover in 20 consecutive patients with asthma who sought help for acute respiratory obstruction in our emergency department. Serum concentrations of the carboxy-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type 1 collagen (1CTP), reflecting bone resorption, and the carboxy-terminal propeptide of type 1 procollagen (P1CP), reflecting bone formation, were measured by radioimmunoassay. Changes of the circulating levels of the bone resorption marker 1CTP after treatment were age dependent with a significant negative correlation (r = -0.54, P = 0.01). The dependency on age remained when correcting, in a multiple linear regression analysis, for 1CTP levels at admission, weight, sex, and daily maintenance dose of inhaled glucocorticoids. Circulating levels of P1CP were suppressed in the whole group 1 week after initiation of glucocorticoid therapy, from 123.3 +/- 10.2 ng/ml at admission to 88.1 +/- 6.3 ng/ml after 1 week (P < 0.01). The changes in P1CP levels were not related to age. Our data indicate that bone formation is suppressed by glucocorticoids in all age groups, whereas the effect of glucocorticoids on markers of bone resorption is dependent on age.

Bacterial vaginosis and the effect of intermittent prophylactic treatment with an acid lactate gel.

Intermittent treatment with an acid lactate gel (Lactal, ACO, Sweden) reduced symptoms of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and promoted the reestablishment of the normal vaginal flora of lactobacilli. Forty-two women seriously affected by recurrent BV were initially given acid gel (lactate gel, pH 3.8, 5 ml) to be inserted into the vagina daily for 7 consecutive days. Thereafter they entered into a double blind clinical trial and were treated prophylactically 3 days monthly for 6 months with either lactate gel or a placebo gel. Women treated with the lactate gel were clinically improved, i.e. no signs of BV in 88% compared to 10% in the placebo group (p less than 0.001). The vaginal lactobacilli flora was reestablished in 83% of the lactate group and in 16% of the placebo group. Local intermittent application of lactate gel was found to be free of side effects and is a preferable alternative to repeated treatments with antibiotics in patients with recurrent BV.