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Association of alpha-1 antitrypsin level and lung function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Serapinas Danielius (Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania)
Nutautiene Ruta (Kaunas State Hospital, Kaunas, Lithuania)
Pukinskaite Ruta (Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania)
Bartkeviciene Daiva (Vilnius University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vilnius, Lithuania)
Barkauskiene Diana (Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Medical Academy, Department of Pulmonology and Immunology, Kaunas, Lithuania)
Sakalauskas Raimundas (Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Medical Academy, Department of Pulmonology and Immunology, Kaunas, Lithuania)

Introduction/Objective. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is a well established inherited risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); however, alpha-1 antitrypsin level may result in different lung function reduction. The aim of our study was to evaluate possible associations of alpha-1 antitrypsin level and lung function in COPD patients with different alpha-1 antitrypsin phenotypes. Methods. Serum alpha-1 antitrypsin concentration from patients (n = 1,167) with COPD, defined according to the GOLD criteria, were analyzed by nephelometry, and alpha-1 antitrypsin phenotype was determined by means of isoelectric-focusing. Results. In COPD patients without alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (MM), a significant negative association of lung function (FEV1) with serum alpha-1 antitrypsin (r = -0.511; p < 0.05) and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations (r = -0.583; p < 0.05) was detected; moreover, the level of alpha-1 antitrypsin positively correlated with CRP concentration (r = 0.667; p < 0.05). Conclusions. In patients without alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, detected negative association of alpha-1 antitrypsin level with FEV1 and positive association with the CRP level defined the importance of alpha-1 antitrypsin for lung function in COPD patients.

Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, alpha-1 antitrypsin, lung function