RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytokines in the assessment of interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis: a prospective study
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP PA1370
DO 10.1183/13993003.congress-2019.PA1370
VO 54
IS suppl 63
A1 Saurabh Mittal
A1 Uma Kumar
A1 Randeep Guleria
A1 Anant Mohan
A1 Karan Madan
A1 Ashu Seith Bhalla
A1 Sandeep Mathur
YR 2019
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/54/suppl_63/PA1370.abstract
AB Objective: To assess the role of BAL fluid IL-6 and IL-7 levels in disease activity assessment in Systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD)Methods: Twenty cases of SSc-ILD were enrolled after excluding overlap syndrome, smokers, lung infection, and pulmonary hypertension. They were evaluated with six-minute walk test, spirometry, HRCT-chest with semi-quantitative scoring and bronchoalveolar lavage. Re-evaluation was done at 6 months after six cyclophosphamide pulse (CYP) therapy. BAL fluid IL-6 and IL-7 levels were estimated using ELISA based kits. Twenty patients of carcinoma esophagus undergoing preoperative bronchoscopy served as controls to assess BALF cytokines. BAL fluid parameters were also assessed for correlation with ground-glass opacity on HRCT to assess disease activity. Statistical analysis was done using the Student’s t-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient.Results: Mean age of cases was 36.2 ± 10.2 years. Mean duration of follow-up was 226 ± 21 days. BAL IL-6 and IL-7 levels were significantly higher in cases (14.3 ±5.3 pg/mL) as compared to controls (5.3 ±5.3 pg/mL, p< 0.001). Post-treatment, IL-6 levels increased non-significantly (p=0.085) while IL-7 levels showed significant reduction (p= 0.001). BALF cytokines did not show significant correlation with ground-glass opacity on HRCT to assess disease activity. None of the studied parameters predicted disease progression.Conclusion: Raised BAL IL-6 and IL-7 levels in SSc-ILD suggest ongoing inflammation in lung interstitium. Reduction in IL-7 levels after therapy shows a reduction in inflammation with CYP therapy but IL-6 levels remain persistently elevated.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2019; 54: Suppl. 63, PA1370.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).