Evaluation of antiendothelial cell antibodies in COPD patients, with and without corpulmonale

BackgroundAntiendothelial cell antibodies (AECA) were studied in the pathogenesis of emphysema in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) in vasculitis, connective tissue disease and idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.Aim of the studyThis study aimed to compare the level of AECA between COPD patients with corpulmonale and those without corpulmonale.MethodsThe study involved 30 male COPD patients without corpulmonale (group 1), 30 male COPD patients with corpulmonale (group 2) and 30 male healthy controls, (group 3). All subjects underwent spirometric pulmonary functions’ testing, echocardiography and measurement of AECA in serum.ResultsThere was highly significantly elevated AECA level in COPD patients with corpulmonale compared to other groups. This was associated with highly significant correlation of AECA level and right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), FEV1% of predicted and significant correlation with arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) and oxygen saturation (SapO2) in the same group.ConclusionThe significantly higher level of AECA in COPD patients with corpulmonale together with RVSP suggests a role for these autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of PH and corpulmonale complicating COPD.