Granulocyte chemotactic activity in exhaled breath condensate of healthy subjects and patients with COPD.

Background: Several chemoattractants have been measured in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) from patients with COPD. The aim of this study was to compare the eosinophil and neutrophil chemotactic activity contained in EBC from healthy subjects and patients with COPD.

Methods: EBC collected using a commercially available condenser (EcoScreen; Erich Jaeger Viasys; Hoechberg, Germany) was compared in 45 COPD patients and 65 healthy subjects.