Changes of peripheral blood lymphocyte and leukocyte functions in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by a chronic progressive inflammatory process predominantly in the small airways and lung parenchyma, with increased numbers of macrophages, neutrophils, and lymphocytes. The role of lymphocyte apoptosis as an important factor in regulation of systemic immune response in COPD patients is not yet certain. Methods: We studied 125 patients with COPD (stage I-IV) during acute exacerbation. The age range was 25 to 86 years. COPD was diagnosed according to the criteria recommended by the Global Initiative of Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD, 200…