Type 3 procollagen peptide in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Poor indicator of course and prognosis in sarcoidosis.
To investigate the role of bronchoalveolar lavage type 3 procollagen peptide as a prognostic indicator in sarcoidosis, we measured type 3 procollagen N-terminal peptide levels in lavage fluids from 84 sarcoidosis patients and monitored disease progress in these patients for a period of 12 months. Lavage procollagen peptide levels were significantly elevated in sarcoidosis patients compared to control subjects (p less than 0.001). No association was observed between lavage type 3 procollagen peptide and disease severity, as assessed by lung function tests. Follow-up monitoring of patients failed to demonstrate any relationship between subsequent functional deterioration and initial lavage type 3 procollagen peptide. These results suggest that elevated lavage type 3 procollagen peptide concentrations in sarcoidosis may reflect increased type 3 collagen synthesis associated with the inflammatory process rather than signal an early event in the development of chronic disease.
O'Connor
C
C
Department of Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland.
Ward
K
K
van Breda
A
A
McIlgorm
A
A
FitzGerald
M X
MX
D000328:Adult; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis*; D011347:Procollagen / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013147:Spirometry; D013997:Time Factors
D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011347:Procollagen; C041876:procollagen Type III-N-terminal peptide