title: Interleukin-6 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with COPD.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To obtain new insights into the behavior of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and released from alveolar macrophages (AM) in chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), and reveal the relationship between IL-6 and the development of emphysema in COPD.
  
  
  METHODS
  IL-6 in BALF and released by AM in BALF were examined in 7 non-smoking subjects and 21 patients with COPD. According to the 95% confidence limits of IL-6 in BALF from non-smoking subjects, the patients were divided into two groups: those who were within the limits were assigned to the first group, and those who were above the limits were assigned to the second group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentration of IL-6 released by AM was much higher in the second group than in the first one. Between the two groups, significant differences were found in pulmonary function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the concentration of IL-6 released by AM may be related with pulmonary function, and IL-6 may play a role in the development of emphysema in patients with COPD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Science & Technology of China, Anhui 230001, China.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D004646:Emphysema / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6