Abstract
Aim of the study was to determine the telomere length and functional condition of the bronchopulmonary system in clean-up workers of Chornobyl NPP patients with COPD in a remote post-emergency period.
Materials and Methods: In our case-control study, 55 clinically stable COPD patients (30 clean-up workers of Chornobyl NPP accident – group1, 25 without radiation exposure – group2), and 20 no COPD clean-up workers –control group. All subjects were male and smokers. Spirometry bodypletismography, DLco was done for all subjects. Telomere length was measured by quantitative real time PCR as described by Cawthon. The telomere repeat copy number (T) to single-gene copy number(S) ratio was calculated using the comparative Ct method.
Results: The mean ± SD of age was 64.9 ± 5.1 years in group1, 65.4 ± 7.2 years in group2 and 63.5 ± 6.4 years in controls. The mean ± SD of DLco was 73,0 ± 15,8 % in group1, 78,4 ± 17,0% in group2 and 98,4 ± 12,1% in controls. There were no significant differences between BMI and telomere length, in all groups. T/S ratio was significantly lower in group1 (0.63±0.09), and group2 (0.62±0.12) than in the control subjects (0.68±0.1). However, telomere length was shorter in the patients than in controls in each age group (P<0.001). Additionally, there were no statistically significant differences in telomere length between the smoker and non-smoker control subjects.
Conclusion: In conclusion, with no confirmed differences between indicators of spirometry and bodyplethysmography, we identified significant reduction of diffusing capacity of lungs. Telomere length in COPD patients (group1 and 2) was shorter than that in controls, irrespective of age and BMI.
- Copyright ©the authors 2017
