Respiratory Viral Detection and Small Airway Inflammation in Lung Tissue of Patients with Stable, Mild COPD

Figures & data

Table 1.  Characteristics of study patients

	Control (n = 20)	COPD (n = 20)	p-value
Age (years)	66.5 (51–79)	68.0 (48–82)	NS
Gender (female:male)	9:11	7:13	NS
Smoking history (pack-years)	48.1 (18.4–130.0)	49.3 (26.0–111.0)	NS
FEV1/FVC ratio	77.3 (70.1–84.7)	65.4 (54.6–69.2)	<0.001
FEV1 (percent predicted)	94.8 (81.3–122.7)	84.4 (80.8–110.3)	0.012

Data expressed as Median (range).

NS = Not Significant (p > 0.05), COPD vs. control groups.

Table 2.  qPCR detection of respiratory viruses

	Control	COPD	p-value
Respiratory Viral Prevalence*
qPCR (+)	5 (25.0)	13 (65.0)	0.011
Influenza A (+)	2 (10.0)	8 (40.0)	0.028
Influenza B (+)	0 (0.0)	1 (5.0)	NS
PIV-2 (+)	0 (0.0)	3 (15.0)	NS
Coronavirus 229E (+)	3 (15.0)	7 (35.0)	NS
Human Rhinovirus (+)	1 (5.0)	0 (0.0)	NS
Adenovirus (+)	0 (0.0)	2 (10.0)	NS
Respiratory Viral Load^**
Total Viral Load	0 (0–13.4)	6.6 (0–47.3)	0.010
Influenza A	0 (0–8.3)	0 (0–39.6)	0.019
Influenza B	0 (0–0)	0 (0–1.6)	NS
PIV-2	0 (0–3.9)	0 (0–3.0)	NS
Coronavirus 229E	0 (0–2.6)	0 (0–10.8)	NS
Human Rhinovirus	0 (0–3.2)	0 (0–0)	NS
Adenovirus	0 (0–0)	0 (0–6.6)	NS
Number of Viruses per Patient^***	0 (0–2)	1 (0–3)	0.007

*Data expressed as Number (percentage) of subjects within group with positive qPCR result.

**Data expressed as Median (range) per 1000 human cells.

***Data expressed as Median (range).

NS = Not Significant (p > 0.05), COPD vs. control groups.

Table 3.  Quantitative histology for airway inflammatory cells*

	Control	COPD	p-value
CD68+ Macrophages	0.015 (0.002–0.058)	0.030 (0.008–0.060)	0.004
CD1a+ Langerhans Cells	0.001 (0–0.009)	0 (0–0.007)	NS
CD21+ Dendritic Cells	0 (0–0.0031)	0 (0–0.0004)	NS
NK1+ Natural Killer Cells	0.002 (0–0.004)	0.002 (0–0.006)	NS
CD79+ B-lymphocytes	0.001 (0–0.003)	0.002 (0–0.009)	NS
CD4+ T-lymphocytes	0.001 (0–0.005)	0.001 (0–0.004)	NS
CD8+ T-lymphocytes	0.001 (0–0.040)	0.001 (0–0.032)	NS
Neutrophils	0.010 (0.001–0.041)	0.014 (0.012–0.060)	0.028
Eosinophils	0.001 (0–0.012)	0.001 (0–0.074)	NS

Data expressed as Median (range) of Vv of cell type in tissue of small airways.

NS = Not Significant p > 0.05).

Figure 1. Linear regression analysis of the relationship between inflammatory cells and lung function, and viral load. A) FEV1/FVC vs. Volume fraction CD68 + macrophages (p = 0.044). B) FEV1/FVC vs. Volume fraction neutrophils (p = 0.047). C) Total viral load (normalized to RPP) vs. Volume fraction of neutrophils (p = 0.031). D) Influenza A viral load (normalized to RPP) vs. Volume fraction of CD68+ macrophages (influenza A-positive cases; p = 0.038).