Inflammatory markers in cystic fibrosis patients

Abstract

Inflammatory markers dynamics in 75 cystic fibrosis (CF) patients during a treatment of lung disease exacerbation has been investigated. As a rule, a clinical improvement is associated with decrease in the tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-8 levels in the sputum specimens. The neutrophil elastase (NE) activity assay is of special interest. It is the single inflammatory marker, which reflects the disease severity. Thus, CF patients with relatively good lung function (FVC and FEV₁>70%) demonstrated lower NE activity. In contrast, the subjects with poor lung function (FVC and FEV₁<70%) show the higher NE activity in the sputa. Though successful antibacterial therapy usually resulted in a decrease in the sputum elastase activity some severe CF patients demonstrate its elevation. This paradoxical result may be associated with neutrophil death and NE deliberation in the CF lung. It is very difficult to find the signs of systemic inflammation in peripheral blood of CF patients. However, our experience shows that the change of the peripheral blood lymphocytes sensitivity to the corticosteroid (dexamethasone) antiproliferative effect can inform a physician about the inflammatory process activation and an antibacterial treatment efficacy. Malon dialdehyde (MDA) plasma concentration is another parameter, which can show paradoxical results in CF subjects. During acute lung exacerbation some patients who were treated with enzymes during hospitalization period only in spite of the pancreatic insufficiency demonstrated marked increase in plasma MDA level. Authors postulate that such the increase does not reflect the activation of the infection but resuits from the systemic oxidative stress. The latter is a consequence of the improvement in fat absorption and of increase in the number of free radical targets.