Cytokine levels in sputum of patients with tracheostomy and profound multiple disabilities.

Background: Airway immunopathogenesis is unclear in patients with profound multiple disabilities (PMD) who undergo tracheostomy.

Methods: The levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-12p70 cytokines were determined in sputum of 28 patients with PMD who underwent tracheostomy and in 14 healthy subjects, using a cytometric bead array.

Results: The concentrations of IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-8 in the patients were significantly higher than those in controls (p < 0.