Evaluation of the significance of circulating insulin-like growth factor-1 and C-reactive protein in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
OBJECTIVE
This study in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) investigated whether acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) and clinically stable COPD (CSCOPD) are associated with changes in circulating insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and C-reactive protein (CRP)  concentrations, and whether changes in IGF-1 and CRP levels are related to changes in the indicators of malnutrition and muscle wasting.


METHODS
A total of 61 patients with AECOPD, 43 patients with CSCOPD and 20 healthy age-matched controls were included in the study. Circulating IGF-1 and  CRP levels, together with erythrocyte sedimentation rate and indicators of malnutrition and muscle wasting, were measured in all the study participants.


RESULTS
Circulating IGF-1 levels were significantly lower and CRP levels significantly higher in COPD patients than in controls. In addition,  IGF-1 levels were significantly lower and CRP levels significantly higher in AECOPD patients than in CSCOPD patients. In COPD patients, indicators of malnutrition and muscle wasting (weight, body mass index, thigh circumference and albumin level) were significantly positively correlated with  logIGF-1; thigh circumference and albumin level were significantly inversely correlated with logCRP.


CONCLUSIONS
Circulating IGF-1 and CRP levels may have potential as indicators of exacerbation, malnutrition and muscle wasting in patients with COPD.
Department of Respiration, First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
M
M
Ye
H
H
Yu
W
W
Yu
G
G
Zhang
L
L
Xiao
X
X
Zheng
J
J
Wu
D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D002097:C-Reactive Protein