Increased leukotriene B4 and 8-isoprostane in exhaled breath condensate of patients with exacerbations of COPD

Abstract

Background: Exacerbations are an important feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), accounting for a large proportion of health care costs. They are associated with increased airway inflammation and oxidative stress. Methods: Concentrations of leukotriene B4 (LTB4), a marker of inflammation, and 8-isoprostane, a marker of oxidative stress, were measured in the exhaled breath condensate of 21 patients (11 M) with COPD during an exacerbation and 2 weeks after treatment with antibiotics. In 12 patients who had no further exacerbations these markers were also measured after 2 months. Results: LTB4 concentrations were raised during the COPD exacerbation (mean (SE) 15.8 (1.1) pg/ml and fell after treatment with antibiotics to 9.9 (0.9) pg/ml (pConclusions: Non-invasive markers of inflammation and oxidative stress are increased during an infective exacerbation of COPD and only slowly recover after treatment with antibiotics.