Abstract
Several studies have shown that increased susceptibility to frequent and chronic infections is associated with low serum levels of mannose-binding lectin (MBL). We investigate the impact of MBL deficiency in children suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with severity of lung disease. We measure serum MBL concentrations in 88 children with COPD (40 females and 48 males, ages 0, 25 to 20 years) and 40 healthy children (21 females and 19 males, ages 0, 6 to 18 years). MBL levels ranged from < 0.04 to 10 mg/l. The frequency distribution profile revealed a bimodal pattern, one peak around 0.3–0.6 mg/l and the other at 2.5–5 mg/l. Significantly lower concentrations of MBL (< 0.04 mg/l) were seen in 7 patients who had clinically important infections. So, it seems that MBL deficiency predisposed to severe infections and the determination of concentrations in serum may be useful as a prognostic indicator.
Published Version
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