MMP14 gene polymorphisms in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Proteinase/antiproteinase imbalance is a widely accepted theory for the pathogenesis of COPD. Among various proteinases, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) digest extracellular matrix of the lung and play significant roles in the development of COPD. Polymorphisms of an MMP that upregulate its activity may result in the degradation of the lung matrix.

Effect of inhaled steroids on increased collagen synthesis in asthma.

Background: We previously reported that sputum levels of procollagen type I C-terminal peptide (PICP), a marker of ongoing collagen type I deposition, are increased in proportion to airway inflammation in asthma patients.

Objectives: In this study, we examined the effect of inhaled corticosteroids on increased collagen synthesis in step 2-4 asthmatics.

Methods: We compared the sputum PICP concentrations of 25 steroid-naive asthmatics, 25 normal volunteers, and 10 subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The effect of smoking-related hyperhomocysteinemia on spirometric declines in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in elderly Japanese.

Smoking is implicated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and hyperhomocysteinemia. To elucidate the role of hyperhomocysteinemia in COPD, we examined the relationship between plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) and spirometric declines in patients with COPD. We recruited 7 male never-smokers, 16 male control smokers, and 24 male patients with COPD.

Circuit training for elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a preliminary study.

To examine the efficacy of the circuit training in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we evaluated muscle forces of the upper and lower extremities and respiratory muscles, exercise tolerance and quality of life (QOL) before and after the circuit training in 10 male patients with mild to severe COPD. The circuit training improved muscle forces of the upper and lower extremities and abdominal muscles (P < 0.05), and 6 min walking distance (P < 0.