|
|
||||||||
Guest Access | Sign In via User Name/Password |
|||||||||
* From the Institute for Lung Health, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Glenfield Hospital, University of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK.
Correspondence to: Ian Pavord, DM, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Glenfield Hospital, Groby Rd, Leicester LE3 9QP, UK; e-mail: ian.pavord{at}uhl-tr.nhs.uk
Study objectives: Sputum induction is increasingly used as a research technique and as a clinical tool. In order to evaluate abnormal results, normal ranges need to be fully developed. Although a number of studies have described normal ranges, none have investigated the effect of the age of the subject on these results. This study was undertaken to assess whether there are age-related differences in sputum cell differential cell counts in a population of normal, healthy volunteers.
Study design and participants: Induced sputum samples were obtained from 66 healthy, nonsmoking subjects (24 men) with a mean age of 44 years (age range, 18 to 74 years). Differential cell counts were related to age.
Results: Sputum neutrophil counts were found to correlate significantly with the age of the volunteers (r = 0.58; p < 0.001). Macrophage counts showed a proportionate, inverse correlation with increasing age (p < 0.01), but no correlation was seen for any other cell type. On subanalysis according to age range, the mean neutrophil differential increased from 26.9% (SD, 19.8%) [17 patients] in the group of patients who were 0 to 29 years of age to 68.5% (SD, 20.6%) [11 patients] in the group of patients who were > 60 years of age.
Conclusion: In our healthy volunteer population, the induced sputum differential neutrophil count increased significantly with age. These findings highlight the need for age matching in controlled studies.
Key Words: age induced sputum differential cell counts
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
C. Costa, R. Rufino, S. L. Traves, J. R. Lapa e Silva, P. J. Barnes, and L. E. Donnelly CXCR3 and CCR5 Chemokines in Induced Sputum From Patients With COPD Chest, January 1, 2008; 133(1): 26 - 33. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. E. Shaw, M. A. Berry, B. Hargadon, S. McKenna, M. J. Shelley, R. H. Green, C. E. Brightling, A. J. Wardlaw, and I. D. Pavord Association Between Neutrophilic Airway Inflammation and Airflow Limitation in Adults With Asthma Chest, December 1, 2007; 132(6): 1871 - 1875. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J.-L. Corhay, L. Hemelaers, M. Henket, J. Sele, and R. Louis Granulocyte Chemotactic Activity in Exhaled Breath Condensate of Healthy Subjects and Patients With COPD Chest, June 1, 2007; 131(6): 1672 - 1677. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M A Dentener, R Louis, R H E Cloots, M Henket, and E F M Wouters Differences in local versus systemic TNF{alpha} production in COPD: inhibitory effect of hyaluronan on LPS induced blood cell TNF{alpha} release Thorax, June 1, 2006; 61(6): 478 - 484. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Tsoumakidou, E. Papadopouli, N. Tzanakis, and N. M. Siafakas Airway Inflammation and Cellular Stress in Noneosinophilic Atopic Asthma Chest, May 1, 2006; 129(5): 1194 - 1202. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Malerba, B. Balbi, and A. Spanevello Aging and Induced-Sputum Cells Chest, December 1, 2005; 128(6): 4049 - 4050. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |