Antimicrobial peptides are markers of inflammation of Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP)

Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are components of airway secretions and contribute to the innate host defense system of the lung. In the respiratory tract, epithelial cells as well as professional immune cells such as neutrophils and macrophages secrete AMPs. It was the aim of this study to examine the concentrations of the cathelicidin LL-37/hCAP-18 and the β-defensin hBD-2 in sputum, pharyngeal washings, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The material used for this study was obtained from 107 patients recruited by the CAPNETZ (German Community Acquired Pn…