El pH medido en el condensado de aire exhalado se correlaciona con cambios en los marcadores inflamatorios en los pacientes con EPOC / Ph measured in exhaled air condensate correlates with changes in inflammatory markers in COPD patients

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Inflammation plays an essential role in the development and progression of chronic obstructionpulmonary disease (COPD). The invasive character of the classical techniques of the study, biopsy, brush and bronchoalveolar lavage, makes it difficult to apply. However, measurement of pH in the exhaled air condensate (EAC) could be an easy way to measure the inflammation grade and changes in oxidative stress in patients with COPD. Objectives: Our study aims to determine if the measurement of pH of EAC in COPD patients can provide information on the presence of an inflammatory condition both in plasma and in the condensate of patients diagnosed of COPD in stable phase.Subjects and Methods: A group made up of smokers without COPD (n = 15) and another group of patients diagnosed ofCOPD in stable condition (n = 39) were selected. The patients were diagnosed and classified of COPD in agreement with the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria. A physical examination, respiratory function tests, blood analysis [IL-8, LTB4, 8-ISO) were obtained and collected from condensed exhaled air (pH, IL-8, LTB4, 8-ISO were measured).Results: The pH was significantly correlated with serum IL-8 (r: - 0.43; p: 0.001), 8-ISO in condensed (r: 0.63; p: 0.000), residual volume (r: - 0.29; p: 0.035) and the pack year index (r: -0.46 p: 0.000). In the sample analyzed, we did not find that the pH in the condensate was correlated with the remaining inflammatory markers in blood and oxidative stress both in serumand exhaled air condensate pH. It was not correlated with the FEV1, FVC, TLC and DLCO%, dyspnea scale (MRC) nor age.Conclusions: In our sample, we found that those persons with higher levels of IL-8 in plasma and greater tobaccoconsumption had greater acidity in the exhaled air condensate. However, we found much range of the results and reproducibility problems. Thus, more studies need to be made to confirm our findings (AU)