title: Clarithromycin Decreases IL-6 Concentration in Serum and BAL Fluid in Patients with Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammatory cytokines are involved in the development of cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP). It has been shown that macrolides inhibit cytokine production in the alveolar macrophages of COP patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to assess the concentrations of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8 and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) in serum and in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL-f) in COP patients treated with clarithromycin (CAM).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved 26 patients (18 women and 8 men, mean age 56.46 ± 8.83 years) with biopsy-proven COP. After being treated with CAM, a complete recovery was achieved in 22 patients, while four patients did not respond to the treatment. The ELISA method was used to measure the serum and BAL-f concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TGF-β.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before treatment, the serum IL-1β1, IL-6, IL-8 and TGF-β1 concentrations were similar in responders and non-responders. Significant decreases in serum concentrations of IL-6 (8.98 ± 13.26 pg/mL vs. 3.1 ± 6.95 pg/mL; p = 0.005), IL-8 (20.14 ± 25.72 pg/mL vs. 10.14 ± 6.8 pg/mL; p = 0.007) and TGF-β1 (37.89 ± 12.49 ng/mL vs. 26.49 ± 12.45 ng/mL; p = 0.001) were found after treatment, as well as a significant decrease in the BAL-f concentration of IL-6 (30.56 ± 56.78 pg/mL vs. 4.53 ± 5.84 pg/mL; p = 0.036). Clarithromycin treatment resulted in a significantly lower mean value of serum IL-6 responders than non-responders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In COP patients, response to clarithromycin treatment was associated with decreases in serum concentrations of IL-6, IL-8 and TGF-β, and of rations, and of the BAL-f concentration of IL-6.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Lung Disease, National Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Institute, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Radzikowska
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Immunology, National Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Institute, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roży
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Immunology, National Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Institute, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jagus
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Department, National Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Institute, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polubiec-Kownacka
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Lung Disease, National Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Institute, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wiatr
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Immunology, National Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Institute, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chorostowska-Wynimko
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Lung Disease, National Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Institute, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Kazimierz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Roszkowski-Śliż
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018549:Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D017291:Clarithromycin
keywords: bronchoalveolar lavage; interleukin-1β; interleukin-8; organizing pneumonia; transforming growth factor-β