[Biochemical markers of inflammation and bronchial obstruction]

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was studied in 139 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). 90 of them had chronic bronchitis, 35--bronchial asthma. Overall metabolites of nitric oxide, histamine, serotonin, malonic dialdehyde were measured. Correlations were studied between concentrations of biologically active compounds and lung ventilation in exacerbation and remission. It was found that levels of indolalkylamines change in one direction both in inflammation and bronchial obstruction. Lipid peroxidation in BAL is closely connected with inflammation in both the diseases and is not related with disorders in lung ventilation. Nitric oxide metabolites differed: gas secretion in bronchial asthma exacerbation is higher than in chronic obstructive bronchitis. In its remission, nitric oxide activity is low, while in bronchial asthma it persisted higher than in healthy subjects.