Smoking as a factor of immune deficiency deepening in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic pancreatitis

Abstract

The objective of the work – to study the state of humoral link of the immune system in patients with chronic pancreatitis with concomitant COPD and without it. There were examined 90 patients with COPD in combination with chronic pancreatitis (45 women and 45 men) aged 35–86 years, mean age – (56.42 ± 4.11 years) and 43 – with chronic pancreatitis. Among the examined individuals there were 32 persons with chronic pancreatitis and COPD I st. (35.5 %), and 58 persons with chronic pancreatitis and COPD II st. (64.5 %). Duration of the disease – from 1 to 25 years, the combination of diseases – from 1 to 10 years. There were 20 (22.2 %) active smokers among surveyed patients. The duration of the smoking 10–30 years, middle duration – (22.75 ± 1.20) years. The smoking experience of 9 patients was 10–20 packs/years, 11 – more than 20 pack/years. Methods of examination: general clinical, laboratory, instrumental, questioning, testing, statistical methods. In patients with chronic pancreatitis without COPD, the level of all studied classes of Ig was significantly increased (IgG 10.4 %, IgA 13.1 %, IgM 45.9 %; P < 0.05). Disbalance in immunoglobulines level was detected in patients with COPD with a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in IgG and IgA levels (by 7.9 % and 27.3 % respectively) and IgM increased (by 76.7 %). This indicates an imbalance in the functioning of the cellular immune system with the formation of a secondary immune deficiency. The increase in the level of immune complexes in both groups (2.6 and 3.2 times, respectively) showed the presence of torpid inflammatory process in COPD. The presence of tobacco smoking in patients with chronic pancreatitis and COPD significantly deepened the changes in the immune system in comparison with non-smokers.