An epidemiologic study on the relationship between pulmonary function decline and serum cytokine level.

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The association between cross-sectional serum cytokine level and longitudinal pulmonary function decline was investigated in order to examine whether or not the serum cytokine level can predict an accelerated pulmonary function decline with aging. Subjects were the male workers who have been longitudinally followed-up since 1985 in terms of pulmonary function decline. In addition to routine spirometric indices such as forced expiratory volume in one second, time domain spirometric indices for lung time constant distribution were analyzed. Serum concentration of interleukin-4, interleukin-6, and interferon-gamma was measured utilizing the high-sensitivity chemiluminescence ELISA method devised by Tollerud and co-workers. Analysis was conducted on 328 sub-jects whose pulmonary function have been acceptably followed-up for at least 6 years.A large between-subject variability was recognized in all of the three types of cytokine. Their distribution was greatly skewed towards positive. That is especially marked in interferon-gamma. There was no evident relationship between serum cytokine level and allergic history of skin and respiratory system. No clear association was found either between serum cytokine level and chronic respiratory symptoms, smoking or other life style factors. Several longitudinal pulmonary function indices calculated as a regression coefficient, however, were significantly associated with the serum cytokine level. These findings do not necessary mean the usefulness of serum cytokine measurement in predicting pulmonary function decline, because of their large between-subject variability. Further work will be needed especially to study within-subject variability of serum cytokine level in a cohort setting of a large sample.