The association of serum neuron-specific enolase with other disease markers in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A case-control study

Li Jie,Wei Shu,Xinyi Kong,Wei Zhang

doi:10.12669/pjms.345.15145

Abstract

Objective:The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between serum neuron-specific enolase (sNSE) levels and gender, age, body mass index (BMI) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods:This case-control study was carried out among 182 participants in Jiangxi Provincial chest hospital, Nanchang, China, in 2017. One hundred and two patients diagnosed with COPD based on the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) grading classification and 80 Non-COPD participants were recruited. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to examine whether or not sNSE and other indicators were independently associated with COPD.Results:Serum NSE levels were not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.08). Whereas in COPD sub-groups, the levels of sNSE increased parallelly in a GOLD stage-dependent manner. There was a positive correlation between PH, PO2, pack-years, FEV1 and the presence of COPD, but there was no significant correlation between sNSE, PCO2 and the presence of COPD.Conclusions:Serum NSE gradually increased with the severity of COPD and its change reflected changes in brain cells. PH, PO2, pack-years and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), were independent risk factors for COPD patients.

Highlights

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality resulting in social and economic burdens.[1,2] It is characterized by persistent airflow obstruction due to airway and /or alveolar abnormalities and can progress to respiratory failure manifested as hypoxemia and carbondioxide retention
Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) has the highest activity in brain tissue cells and is one of the specific markers reflecting the damage of the nervous system, after the damage of the central nervous system
Barouchos compared the performance of Serum NSE in COPD exacerbation patients, and found that sNSE was closely related to some inflammatory biomarkers such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, as well as white blood cells count.[7]

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality resulting in social and economic burdens.[1,2] It is characterized by persistent airflow obstruction due to airway and /or alveolar abnormalities and can progress to respiratory failure manifested as hypoxemia and carbondioxide retention. NSE can be released into the blood, and cerebrospinal fluid through the damaged cell membrane and blood-brain barrier.[4] Evidence has shown bronchial epithelial cells, and type II pneumocytes contain NSE,[5] which could be successfully employed as a marker to identify small cell lung cancer.[6] Recently NSE was considered as a good candidate in benign pulmonary disease.[7] Barouchos compared the performance of Serum NSE (sNSE) in COPD exacerbation patients (severity C and D), and found that sNSE was closely related to some inflammatory biomarkers such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, as well as white blood cells count.[7] the relationship between sNSE and all COPD classification patients, those with mild symptoms, and some clinical observation index (FEV1, PH, PO2, PCO2, etc.) was still not clear. This study aims to investigate the changes of sNSE at different stages of COPD, compared with the corresponding changes in patients with some observed indicators, to find the relationship between these indicators and COPD, to assess the severity of brain injury in patients with COPD, so as to provide a clinical reference for diagnosis and treatment

METHODS

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