Sputum eosinophilia in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (original) (raw)

Abstract.

Objectives and Design: Cough is a common symptom in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis that is difficult to treat and has a major impact on quality of life. We tested the hypothesis that the cough and increased cough reflex sensitivity seen in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis may be due to airway inflammation in a prospective, cross-sectional study.

Subjects and Methods: We measured the induced sputum inflammatory cell profile and cell-free supernatant inflammatory mediator concentrations in 15 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, 17 healthy controls and 15 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Results: Both the geometric mean sputum differential eosinophil cell count and median eosinophilic-cationic-protein concentration were significantly higher in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis than controls (2.1% vs 0.3%; p < 0.001 and 1.1 mg/ml versus 0.2 mg/ml; p = 0.03 respectively). There were no significant differences in sputum eosinophil counts and eosinophilic-cationic-protein concentrations between patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Sputum leukotriene-B4 concentrations were significantly lower in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (p = 0.03) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p = 0.008) compared to controls.

Conclusions: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is characterised by the presence of active eosinophilic airway inflammation raising the possibility that airway inflammation may contribute to symptoms such as cough.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

IPF:

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

COPD:

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

FEV1:

forced expiratory volume in 1 second

FVC:

forced vital capacity

SE:

standard error

SD:

standard deviation

PG:

prostaglandin

Cyst-LT:

cysteinyl-leukotriene

ECP:

eosinophilic cationic protein

IL:

interleukin

HRCT:

high resolution computerised tomography

UIP:

usual interstitial pneumonia

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Lung Health, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, LE3 9QP, United Kingdom
    S. S. Birring, D. Parker, S. McKenna, B. Hargadon, C. E. Brightling, I. D. Pavord & P. Bradding

Authors

  1. S. S. Birring
  2. D. Parker
  3. S. McKenna
  4. B. Hargadon
  5. C. E. Brightling
  6. I. D. Pavord
  7. P. Bradding

Corresponding author

Correspondence toS. S. Birring.

Additional information

Supported by a grant from the British Lung Foundation and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. S.S.B. is a British Lung Foundation clinical research fellow.

Received 11 June 2004; returned for revision 20 August 2004; accepted by N. Boughton-Smith 24 September 2004

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Birring, S.S., Parker, D., McKenna, S. et al. Sputum eosinophilia in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.Inflamm. res. 54, 51–56 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-004-1321-x

Download citation

Key words.