Elevated Tnf-α and Interleukin-6 levels In breath condensate and serum of patients with Non-Cf bronchiectasis comparison to COPD

Intoduction: Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) allows non invasive studies in airway diseases. In bronchiectasis (Br-ect), chronic airway inflammation is an important feature. Methods: To evaluate the levels of TNF- and IL-6 in EBC and serum of patients (pts) with Br-ect and to compare to COPD, we studied 19 bronchiectatic, nonsmoker pts (mean age±sd 59 ±15y, 12F), 18 COPD pts, ex-smokers (68±6.2 y, 3F), and 18 non smoker controls (63±6y, 5F). Spirometry was performed and the concentration of the inflammatory markers was determined by enzyme immunoassay (Chayman Chem, USA). Results: Results on the table are expressed as mean (±SD) TNF – (EBC,pg/ml) TNF- (serum,pg/ml) IL-6 (EBC,pg/ml) IL-6 (serum,pg/ml) FEV1 (%pred) FVC (%pred) FEV1/FVC Bronchiectasis 7.1 (±0.1) 14.7(±3.1) 5.7(±0.3) 18.5(±9.0) 65,1±27 81.5±22 63±11 COPD 7.7 (±0.3) 15.2 (±2.8) 8.1(±0.3) 26.4(±12.9) 56.3±15 75.5±18,2 58.7±8,6 Controls 6.4 (±0.6) 7.2 (±1.1) 4.9(±0.6) 10.6(±3.1) 94±5 98±6 95 Conclusions :In Br-ect the concentration of TNF- and IL-6 in both EBC and serum was significantly higher than in controls and lower than in COPD (p<0.0001). In Br-ect group, no correlation was found between TNF-, IL-6 levels and the lung function parameters. In COPD group a negative correlation was found between IL-6 in EBC and FEV1/FVC (p=0.02, r=-0.5). In bronchiectasis TNF- and IL-6 may reflect airway inflammation as they are elevated in EBC and serum, compared to healthy controls, but they are lower than in COPD. In COPD, IL-6 in EBC may be related to the disease severity.