Abstract
Objective:To investigate the contentsof nitric oxide metabolites and the concentration of soluble molecules of adhesion ICAM-3 (sCD50) in serum and in an exhaled breath condensate (EBC) of patients with exacerbation of COPD.
We examined 96 patients of 44-69 years old (63 ± 4,8) with COPD stage II (n = 47) and III (n = 49), and 30 healthy non-smokers.
It was found that the progressive increase of the NO2- level in the blood was linked to the higher degree of COPD. In comparison, the content of NO2- metabolites found in patients with COPD stage II exceeded the control group average by 1.35 times (3,8±0,3 µM, p=0,036) and in patients with the disease at stage III by 2.1 times (5,87±0,77 µM, p=0,006). The results showed there was an increase in total concentrationof ΣNO3-/NO2- in an EBC in patients with COPD compared to the control group (5,57±1,1 µM). The serum content of sCD50 was also increased in patients with a severe degree of disease by 1,88 times (p=0,001) compared to the healthy non-smoking volunteers (351,4±45,7 U/ml). For the patients with stages II and III of COPD it was established that they had a progressively increasing level of sICAM-3 molecules in EBCcompared to the control group. There was also a positive correlation between the serum concentration of NO2- and the level of sCD50 in EBC(r=0,47 p=0,038).
The described relationship may suggest the influence of nitric oxide on the dysfunction of the immune respons, on restriction of cell migration in an inflammation site that can be the reasons for an exacerbation of this disease.
- © 2014 ERS