The effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on endothelial function and arterial stiffness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objectives: Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and endothelial dysfunction may enhance the mortality risk. Exercise training has shown to be beneficial for improvement of endothelial function in patients with cardiovascular disease, but this remains unclear in COPD. Thus, this study aimed to assess the effect of exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) on endothelium function, arterial stiffness and plasma nitrite levels in patients with COPD.

Pulmonary rehabilitation and BDNF levels in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A pilot study.

Background: COPD physiopathology involves multiple pathways and evidence indicates that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important biomarker associated with parameters of COPD severity. This study aimed to analyze the time course of the effects of a pulmonary rehabilitation program (PRP) on BDNF levels and on functional status in COPD patients.

Methods: Patients were enrolled in a 24-session PRP.

The modulation of inflammatory parameters, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and global histone H4 acetylation status in peripheral blood of patients with Gaucher disease type 1.

Objectives: Gaucher's disease type 1 (GD1) pathophysiology includes an imbalance on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and in the inflammatory system. However, the pathways involved remain poorly understood. The hypothesis of this study is that epigenetic mechanisms might be involved, at least partially, in this phenomenon.