C-reactive protein and the type IV collagen measurementin severe COPD: Value of roflumilast

Inflammatory biomarkers predict mortality and hospitalisation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Yet, it remains uncertain if biomarkers in addition to reflecting disease severity add new prognostic information on severe COPD. We investigated if leukocytes, C-reactive protein (CRP), and vitamin D were independent predictors of mortality and hospitalisation after adjusting for disease severity with an integrative index, the i-BODE index. In total, 423 patients participating in a pulmonary rehabilitation programme, with a mean value of FEV1of 38% of predicted, were included. Mean followup was 45 months. During the follow-up period, 149 deaths (35%) were observed and 330 patients (78.0%) had at least one acute hospitalisation; 244 patients (57.7%) had at least one hospitalisation due to an exacerbation of COPD. In the analysis (Cox proportional hazards model) fully adjusted for age, sex, and i-BODE index, the hazard ratio for 1 mg/L increase in CRP was 1.02(P=0.003)and for1×109/Lincrease in leukocytes was 1.43(P=0.03). Only leukocyte count was significantly associated with hospitalisation. Vitamin D was neither associated with mortality nor hospitalisation. Leukocytes and CRP add little information on prognosis and vitamin D does not seem to be a useful biomarker in severe COPD in a clinical setting.

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The use of 1nm silver enhanced gold probes for the detection of skin antigens

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100162077 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (3) ◽

pp. 902-903

Author(s):

J.P Cassella ◽

H. Shimizu ◽

A. Ishida-Yamamoto ◽

R.A.J. Eady

Keyword(s):

Type Iv Collagen ◽

Freeze Substitution ◽

Collagen Type Iv ◽

Electron Microscopic ◽

Normal Human Skin ◽

Type Iv ◽

Type Vii Collagen ◽

Keratin Filaments ◽

Normal Human ◽

Phosphate Buffered Saline

1nm colloidal gold with silver enhancement has been used in conjunction with a low-temperature post-embedding (post-E) technique for the demonstration of skin antigens at both the light microscopic (LM) and electron microscopic (EM) levels.Keratin filaments and basement membrane zone (BMZ) associated antigens in normal human skin (NHS) were immunolabelled using antibodies against keratin 14, 10, and 1, the carboxy-terminus and collagenous portion of type VII collagen, type IV collagen and bullous pemphigoid antigen (BP-Ag).Fresh samples of NHS were cryoprotected in 15% glycerol, cryofixed in propane at -190°C, subjected to freeze substitution in methanol at -80°C and embedded in Lowicryl K11M at -60°C. Polymerisation of the resin was initiated under UVR at - 60°C for 48 hours and continued at room temperature for a further 48 hours. Semith in sections were air dried onto slides coated with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. The following immunolabelling protocol was adopted: Primary antibody was applied for 2 hours at 37°C or overnight at 4°C. Following washing in Dulbecco’s phosphate buffered saline (PBSA) a biotinylated secondary antibody was applied for 2 hours at 37°C. The sections were further washed in PBSA and 1nm gold avidin was applied. Sections were finally washed in PBSA and silver enhanced.

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