Abstract
Epidemiological evidence supports a positive relationship between fruit and vegetable (FV) intake, lung function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Increasing FV intake may attenuate the oxidative stress and inflammation associated with COPD.
An exploratory randomised controlled trial to examine the effect of increased consumption of FV on oxidative stress and inflammation in moderate to severe COPD was conducted. Eighty-one symptomatically stable patients with a habitually low FV intake (≤2 portions FV·day−1) were randomised to the intervention group (≥5 portions FV·day−1) or the control group (≤2 portions FV·day−1). Each participant received self-selected weekly home deliveries of FV for 12 weeks.
Seventy-five participants completed the intervention. There was a significant between-group change in self-reported FV intake and biomarkers of FV intake (zeaxanthin, P=0.034 and β-cyptoxanthin, P=0.015) indicating good compliance; post-intervention intakes in intervention and control groups were 6.1 and 1.9 portions FV·day−1 respectively. There were no significant changes in biomarkers of airway inflammation (interleukin-8, myeloperoxidase) and systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein) or airway and systemic oxidative stress (8-isoprostane).
This exploratory study demonstrated that patients with moderate to severe COPD were able to comply with an intervention to increase FV intake, however, this had no significant effect on airway or systemic oxidative stress and inflammation.
Trial registration number: NCT00435708; www.clinicaltrials.gov
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