[Determination of plasma and sputum substance P content in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of substance P (SP) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma.


METHODS
Plasma and sputum samples were obtained from 26 COPD patients and 20 asthmatic patients as well as 12 healthy subjects for measurement of SP content.


RESULTS
Patients with COPD had significantly higher levels of SP in the plasma (7.9+/-2.6 pmol/L) and sputum (53.8+/-12.5 pmol/L) than the healthy subjects (3.6+/-1.7 pmol/L and 6.2+/-2.3 pmol/L, respectively, P<0.01). The asthmatic patients also had significantly higher SP levels (8.3+/-3.1 pmol/L and 46.9+/-10.2 pmol/L, respectively) than the healthy subjects, but there was no significant difference between COPD and asthmatic patients (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
SP may be involved in the airway inflammation process in COPD and asthma.
Zhang
Dan
D
Department of Respiratory Disease, 458 Hospital of PLA, Guangzhou 510600, China. winterpower@163.com
Luo
Xian-rong
XR
Ye
Xiao-qun
XQ
Dong
Xing-fang
XF
D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013183:Sputum / Q000737:chemistry*; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis*
D013373:Substance P