Study objective: 8-Isoprostane is considered an index of oxidative stress. Measurement of 8-isoprostane in the expired breath condensate, a totally noninvasive method, has not been used to explore the level of inflammation in pulmonary sarcoidosis. Therefore, the aim of our study was to measure the levels of 8-isoprostane in the expired breath condensate of patients with sarcoidosis, and to investigate the relation of 8-isoprostane level to disease activity.
Patients: We investigated 30 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis (active disease, n = 14; nonactive disease, n = 16) and 12 healthy subjects as control group.
Methods: 8-Isoprostane was measured in the expired breath condensate of all subjects, and its levels were compared between the control and sarcoidosis groups as well as between the subgroups of patients with active and nonactive disease. In the group with sarcoidosis, 8-isoprostane levels were further correlated with markers that may reflect disease activity, such as serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (sACE) level, serum calcium level, and pulmonary function test results.
Results: The concentration of 8-isoprostane was increased in patients with sarcoidosis compared to control subjects (mean, 64.23 pg/mL; 95% confidence interval [CI], 37.00 to 91.46 pg/mL; vs mean, 20.75 pg/mL; 95% CI, 16.06 to 25.44 pg/mL; p = 0.04). The difference was primarily due to the patients with active disease, who had significantly higher levels of 8-isoprostane (mean, 111.4 pg/mL; 95% CI, 62.56 to 160.30 pg/mL; p < 0.001) compared to patients with nonactive disease (mean, 22.94 pg/mL; 95% CI, 15.89 to 29.99 pg/mL) or healthy subjects. 8-Isoprostane levels in patients with nonactive disease did not differ from those in healthy subjects (p > 0.05). In the patients with sarcoidosis, 8-isoprostane levels were positively correlated with sACE level (p < 0.0001, r = 0.69), but was not correlated with serum calcium level or pulmonary function test values.
Conclusions: Our data suggest that 8-isoprostane levels are increased in the expired breath condensate of patients with sarcoidosis and might serve as an index of disease activity.