title: Airway mucosal inflammation in COPD is similar in smokers and ex-smokers: a pooled analysis.
abstract: Bronchial biopsy specimens from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients demonstrate increased numbers of CD8+ T-lymphocytes, macrophages and, in some studies, neutrophils and eosinophils. Smoking cessation affects the rate of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)) decline in COPD, but the effect on inflammation is uncertain. Bronchial biopsy inflammatory cell counts were compared in current and ex-smokers with COPD. A pooled analysis of subepithelial inflammatory cell count data from three bronchial biopsy studies that included COPD patients who were either current or ex-smokers was performed. Cell count data from 101 subjects, 65 current smokers and 36 ex-smokers, were analysed for the following cell types: CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes, CD68+ (monocytes/macrophages), neutrophil elastase+ (neutrophils), EG2+ (eosinophils), mast cell tryptase+ and cells mRNA-positive for tumour necrosis factor-alpha. Current smokers and ex-smokers were similar in terms of lung function, as measured by FEV(1) (% predicted), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV(1)/FVC. The results demonstrate that there were no significant differences between smokers and ex-smokers in the numbers of any of the inflammatory cell types or markers analysed. It is concluded that, in established chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the bronchial mucosal inflammatory cell infiltrate is similar in ex-smokers and those that continue to smoke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, London Chest Hospital, Bonner Road, London, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gamble
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Grootendorst
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hattotuwa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: O'Shaughnessy
authors.forename: F S F
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vignola
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kroegel
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Morell
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Pavord
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Rabe
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Jeffery
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Barnes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy; D001980:Bronchi / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase / Q000032:analysis; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D053802:Tryptases / Q000032:analysis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase; D053802:Tryptases; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule