Systemic inflammation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are colonized with Pneumocystis jiroveci.

Calderón, Enrique J; Rivero, Laura; Respaldiza, Nieves; Morilla, Rubén; Montes-Cano, Marco A; Friaza, Vicente; Muñoz-Lobato, Fernando; Varela, José M et al. · Clin Infect Dis · 2007

cross_sectional · Level IV

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Abstract

In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, high levels of airway and systemic inflammatory markers are associated with a faster decrease in lung function. Our study shows that patients colonized by Pneumocystis jiroveci have higher proinflammatory cytokine levels than do noncolonized patients. This suggests that Pneumocystis may play a role in disease progression.

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