Introduction: The aim of the study was the evaluation of the concentration of 9α11β prostaglandin F₂ — a stable metabolite of prostaglandin D₂ (PGD₂) and leukotriene E₄ (LTE₄) in stable and exacerbated COPD patients.
Material and methods: 29 COPD patients aged 73 ± 8.34, mean FEV1 = 48.64 ± 15.75% of predictive value and 29 healthy controls aged 57.48 ± 10.86, mean FEV1 = 97.17 ± 13.81% of predictive value participated in this study. Samples of urine and blood were taken from COPD patients during exacerbation and in stable state of the disease; LTE₄ was determined in urine using commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and 9α11β prostaglandin F₂ (9α11βPGF₂) — stable metabolite of PGD₂ was evaluated in blood and urine using GC/MS.
Results: LTE₄ concentration in urine (677.15 vs. 436.4 pg/mg of creatinine; p = 0.035) and 9α11βPGF₂ in blood serum (5.35 vs. 3.07 pg/ml; p = 0.007) were significantly higher in exacerbated COPD patients than in control group. There was no difference in LTE₄ level in urine and 9α11βPGF2 in blood serum between exacerbated and stable COPD. The urinary 9α11βPGF₂ concentration did not differ between all studied groups. We found a positive correlation between smoking history and the urine LTE₄ level (r = 0.395; p = 0.002) as well as blood 9α11βPGF₂ concentration (r = 0.603; p = 0.001) in COPD patients.
Conclusions: 9α11βPGF₂ and LTE₄ level in urine did not differ between the stable COPD group and the control group. We also did not find any difference between LTE4 level in urine and 9α11βPGF₂ in blood and urine between exacerbated and stable COPD. Finally, LTE₄ concentration in urine and 9α11βPGF₂ in blood occurred to be significantly higher in exacerbated COPD patients than in control group.