TY - JOUR T1 - Exhaled hydrogen sulfide in patients with chronic airway inflammatory disease JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 38 IS - Suppl 55 SP - p4043 AU - Yahong Chen AU - Xinmao Wang AU - Wanzhen Yao AU - Chaoshu Tang Y1 - 2011/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p4043.abstract N2 - Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are two common chronic airway inflammatory diseases. Recent studies showed that endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) might be the third signaling gasotransmitter playing a important role in inflammation.Objective: To investigate whether exhaled H2S level is related to airway inflammation in COPD and asthma.Methods: Clinical data, inflammatory cell in induced sputum, plasma level of TNF-α, IL-8 and LTB4, exhaled and plasma H2S level were studied in 41 patients with AECOPD, 36 with stable COPD, 50 with acute exacerbation of asthma, 24 with stable asthma, and 11 healthy subjects.Results: Exhaled H2S level were lower by 20.63% and 37.81%, respectively, in patients with stable COPD and AECOPD than healthy controls (P<0.05). Exhaled H2S level was decreased by 21.64% in patients with AECOPD than stable COPD patients (P<0.05). Exhaled H2S was positively correlated with the percentage of predicted inspiratory capacity (r=0.321, P=0.026), negatively correlated with plasma H2S levels (r=-0.384, P=0.021) and SGRQ activity score (r=-0.226, P=0.05). Exhaled H2S levels were decreased by 29.5% and 31.4%, respectively, in patients with stable and acute exacerbation of asthma than healthy controls (all P<0.05). Smokers in asthma had lower exhaled H2S levels than non-smokers (P<0.05). Exhaled H2S in asthma was negatively correlated with plasma LTB4 (r=-0.627, P=0.05).Conclusions: Exhaled hydrogen sulfide was decreased in patients with COPD and asthma. Its alteration in level may be connected with airway inflammation.The study is funded by NSFC (No. 30871127), NCET (No. 985-2-082-113), and Chinese Medical Association CRD Grant (No. 08020370115). ER -