The Significance Of Serum IL-5and IL-12Levels In Pathogenesis Of COPD At Different Altitudes

Objective: Serum IL-5and IL-12levels of100chronic obstructive pulmonary disease（COPD）patients at different altitudes were tested using ELISA. To discuss the significanceof serum IL-5and IL-12levels in the pathogenesis of COPD.Methods:37AECOPD,31cases stable COPD and30health persons were selected asAECOPD, stable and control groups at moderate altitude respectively.32cases stable COPDwere selected as stable group and32health persons were selected as control group at highaltitude respectively. The serum IL-5and IL-12levels were tested using double-antibodysandwich ELISA.Results: The levels of IL-5in AECOPD group were higher than those in stable and controlgroups at moderate altitude (P <0.05). The levels of IL-5in the stable group was lower thanthose in the control group at moderate altitude (p<0.05). There was no significant differencein the levels of IL-5between the stable and control groups at high altitude (P>0.05). Thelevels of IL-5in the stable and the control groups at the high altitude were higher than those atthe moderate respectively (P <0.05). The levels of IL-12in the stable group were higher thanthose in the AECOPD and control groups at moderate altitude (P <0.05). There was nosignificant difference in the levels of IL-12between the AECOPD and control groups atmoderate altitude (P>0.05). The levels of IL-12in the stable group were higher than those inthe control group at the high altitude (P <0.05). The levels of IL-12in the stable group at highaltitude were lower than those at moderate altitude (P <0.05). There was no significantdifference between the levels of IL-12in the control group at high altitude and those atmoderate altitude (P>0.05). There was a negative correlation between the level of FEV1andserum IL-5(r=-0.744, P <0.05), while there was a positive correlation between the level ofFEV1and serum IL-12(r=-0.738, P <0.05) in the AECOPD at moderate altitude.Conclusion:1) The levels of IL-5in cases with AECOPD were higher than those in stablephase. The levels of IL-12in cases with AECOPD were lower than those in stable phase. It showed that IL-5may be involved into the process of acute inflammation in COPD. IL-12may be involved into the rehabilitation of the airway damages in COPD.2) The levels of IL-5in the cases with COPD at high altitude were higher than those at moderate altitude. Thelevels of IL-12in stable phase at high altitude were lower than those at moderate altitude. Itshowed that IL-5and IL-12may be involved into the adaptive processes to hypoxia of COPDin the low-oxygen and high-cold conditions.3) The FEV1decreased with the growth of thelevels of IL-5and increased with the growth of the levels of IL-12AECOPD group. It showedthat IL-5and IL-12may be involved into airway changes of COPD.