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Evidence of mast-cell activation in a subset of patients with eosinophilic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Evidence of mast-cell activation in a subset of patients with eosinophilic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Evidence of mast-cell activation in a subset of patients with eosinophilic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Although asthma has been viewed mainly as an eosinophilic disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as a neutrophilic disease, recent studies have shown increased neutrophil counts in severe asthma and sputum eosinophilia in some COPD patients.

In an attempt to further characterise these two syndromes according to pathology, the current authors have conducted a study of induced sputum in 15 subjects with COPD, 17 asthmatics, and 17 nonatopic healthy individuals. Sputum was analysed for cytology and levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), albumin, tryptase and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule‐1.

The COPD subjects differed from the asthmatics as they had higher sputum neutrophil and lower columnar epithelial cell counts, but there were no differences in any soluble marker studied. When compared to control subjects, both the asthmatic and COPD subjects had raised eosinophil counts and ECP levels. In a subset of COPD subjects with sputum eosinophilia (>3% of total cells), significantly increased levels of tryptase were detected.

In conclusion, although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a more neutrophilic disease than asthma, the two diseases are difficult to distinguish on the basis of sputum levels of the soluble markers traditionally associated with asthma. However, a subset of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with airway eosinophilia and mast-cell activation might represent a distinct pathological phenotype.

0903-1936
325-331
Louis, R.E.
c6f56b68-215a-4314-9b03-b6852f53bb53
Cataldo, D.
645d98d0-d63b-444a-8e1e-9cc67f3c8d4c
Buckley, M.G.
65d8ab7d-a21c-4d2c-b809-183dbdb3c4cd
Sele, J.
0f225945-037b-4946-9268-94c0af04ad4b
Henket, M.
5b237763-b229-426c-9c56-526b8cb3c728
Lau, L.C.
2af8045d-6162-4939-aba7-28dd2f60f6a8
Bartsch, P.
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Walls, A.F.
aaa7e455-0562-4b4c-94f5-ec29c74b1bfe
Djukanovic, R.
d9a45ee7-6a80-4d84-a0ed-10962660a98d
Louis, R.E.
c6f56b68-215a-4314-9b03-b6852f53bb53
Cataldo, D.
645d98d0-d63b-444a-8e1e-9cc67f3c8d4c
Buckley, M.G.
65d8ab7d-a21c-4d2c-b809-183dbdb3c4cd
Sele, J.
0f225945-037b-4946-9268-94c0af04ad4b
Henket, M.
5b237763-b229-426c-9c56-526b8cb3c728
Lau, L.C.
2af8045d-6162-4939-aba7-28dd2f60f6a8
Bartsch, P.
9c2cf0c8-7464-4e13-85e4-1ee10706ecbe
Walls, A.F.
aaa7e455-0562-4b4c-94f5-ec29c74b1bfe
Djukanovic, R.
d9a45ee7-6a80-4d84-a0ed-10962660a98d

Louis, R.E., Cataldo, D., Buckley, M.G., Sele, J., Henket, M., Lau, L.C., Bartsch, P., Walls, A.F. and Djukanovic, R. (2002) Evidence of mast-cell activation in a subset of patients with eosinophilic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. European Respiratory Journal, 20 (2), 325-331. (doi:10.1183/09031936.02.00286302).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Although asthma has been viewed mainly as an eosinophilic disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as a neutrophilic disease, recent studies have shown increased neutrophil counts in severe asthma and sputum eosinophilia in some COPD patients.

In an attempt to further characterise these two syndromes according to pathology, the current authors have conducted a study of induced sputum in 15 subjects with COPD, 17 asthmatics, and 17 nonatopic healthy individuals. Sputum was analysed for cytology and levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), albumin, tryptase and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule‐1.

The COPD subjects differed from the asthmatics as they had higher sputum neutrophil and lower columnar epithelial cell counts, but there were no differences in any soluble marker studied. When compared to control subjects, both the asthmatic and COPD subjects had raised eosinophil counts and ECP levels. In a subset of COPD subjects with sputum eosinophilia (>3% of total cells), significantly increased levels of tryptase were detected.

In conclusion, although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a more neutrophilic disease than asthma, the two diseases are difficult to distinguish on the basis of sputum levels of the soluble markers traditionally associated with asthma. However, a subset of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with airway eosinophilia and mast-cell activation might represent a distinct pathological phenotype.

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Published date: 2002

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 27237
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/27237
ISSN: 0903-1936
PURE UUID: 35068222-123a-4501-848e-a78a28ab3aec
ORCID for A.F. Walls: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4803-4595
ORCID for R. Djukanovic: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6039-5612

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Date deposited: 26 Apr 2006
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 02:38

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Contributors

Author: R.E. Louis
Author: D. Cataldo
Author: M.G. Buckley
Author: J. Sele
Author: M. Henket
Author: L.C. Lau
Author: P. Bartsch
Author: A.F. Walls ORCID iD
Author: R. Djukanovic ORCID iD

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