6533b82afe1ef96bd128c217
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Effect of age and asthma duration upon elastase and alpha1-antitrypsin levels in adult asthmatics
A. M. VignolaNicola ScichiloneMario SpataforaLoredana RiccobonoJean BousquetVincenzo BelliaAnna BonannoGiovanni BonsignoreGiovanni BonsignoreMirella Profitasubject
Pulmonary and Respiratory MedicineAdultmedicine.medical_specialtySputum CytologyPathologyAgingNeutrophilsDiseaseEosinophilSettore MED/10 - Malattie Dell'Apparato RespiratorioGastroenterologyLeukocyte CountInternal medicineForced Expiratory VolumeMedicineHumansAsthmaAgedPancreatic Elastasebusiness.industryRespiratory diseaseElastaseNeutrophilSputumsocial sciencesMiddle Agedmedicine.diseasehumanitiesPathophysiologyAsthmaEosinophilsAgeingalpha 1-AntitrypsinAdult; Aged; Aging; Asthma; Eosinophils; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Leukocyte Count; Middle Aged; Neutrophils; Pancreatic Elastase; Sputum; alpha 1-AntitrypsinSputummedicine.symptombusinessHumandescription
In asthmatic subjects an imbalance between elastase and alpha1-antitrypsin (alpha1-PI) exists. This study aims to evaluate whether ageing per se affects the levels of elastase. Both young and elderly asthmatics with comparable severity and duration of disease, as well as young and elderly healthy subjects, underwent an induced sputum procedure to measure levels of elastase and alpha1-PI. The percentage of sputum neutrophils and eosinophils was higher in young and elderly asthmatics than in young and elderly controls. The levels of both total and active elastase were significantly higher in young and elderly asthmatics than in young and elderly controls, and directly correlated with the percentage of neutrophils. In addition, in both young and elderly asthmatics the levels of total and active elastase were negatively correlated with forced expiratory volume in one second values, but positively correlated with the duration of the disease. This study indicates that ageing per se does not necessarily lead to a progressive elastase/alpha1-antitrypsin imbalance in asthma, and suggests that an important variable in the development of airway remodelling in both young and elderly asthmatics is represented by the duration of the disease.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-11-01 |