Levels of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 in infectious exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (sTREM-1) is an activating receptor on inflammatory cells upregulated by microbial products. Elevated levels of sTREM-1 have been associated with the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with sepsis, severe pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to define the role of sTREM-1 in acute exacerbations of COPD (AE-COPD) and to investigate the ability of sTREM-1 to differentiate between infectious triggers of AE-COPD.

Viral colonization in intubated patients: initial pathogen pattern and follow-up.

Introduction: Colonization of the lower respiratory tract is an independent risk factor for ventilator-associated pneumonia. Little is known about the frequency of viral colonization on intubation and during mechanical ventilation.

Methods: Overall, 65 eligible intubated patients with no initial signs of pulmonary infection were studied over a period of up to 7 days.

No evidence for WU polyomavirus infection in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Human polyomaviruses are known to cause persistent or latent infections, which are reactivated under immunosuppression. Polyomaviruses have been found to immortalize cell lines and to possess oncogenic properties. Moreover, the recently discovered Merkel cell polyomavirus shows a strong association with human Merkel cell carcinomas.

Frequency and clinical relevance of human bocavirus infection in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objective: Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a recently discovered parvovirus associated with acute respiratory tract infections in children. The objective of the present study was to determine the frequency and clinical relevance of HBoV infection in adult patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD).

Methods: We retrospectively tested 212 COPD patients, 141 (66.

Increased IgE-antibodies to Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins in patients with COPD.

Recent evidence suggests that Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins (SAEs) could modify airway disease by acting as superantigens, an immune response that can be monitored by detection of IgE antibodies to SAEs. We studied the expression of total IgE and specific IgE to SAEs using the Uni-CAP system in healthy controls, smokers without COPD and COPD patients. Only 1/10 controls (10%) and 1/16 smokers (6.

Soluble interleukin-5 receptor alpha is increased in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: During chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations (AE-COPD), an influx of eosinophils into the bronchial mucosa has been described. Eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and soluble interleukin-5 receptor alpha (sIL5Ralpha) are secreted by eosinophils and increased in eosinophilic airway diseases.

Methods: We studied ECP and sIL5Ralpha expression in patients with COPD compared to healthy controls and smokers and investigated a possible association to viral exacerbations of COPD.