Role of Soluble Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor (SuPAR) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Levels in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Introduction: An ever-increasing and irreversible restriction in airflow is a hallmark of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Conventionally, the diagnosis for SCOPD was by clinical symptoms and pulmonary function test (PFT). The C-reactive protein (CRP), a non-specific inflammatory biomarker, is frequently used to confirm the progression of COPD's initial low-grade pulmonary inflammation to systemic inflammation. However, a novel biomarker, such as Soluble Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor (suPAR) secreted by the respiratory epithelium in COPD, can be used to diagnose the disease progression at the early stage of pulmonary inflammation.

Aim & Objective: To assess and compare the serum soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in stable COPD.

Methods: Participants with stable COPD (SCOPD) (males 35, females 15) and healthy controls (males 38, females 12) were enlisted for this study. Participants in the SCOPD study were divided into classes I through IV based on post-bronchodilator FEV1% predicted values determined by GOLD standards. All research participants had serum suPAR and CRP tests.

Results: The level of suPAR among SCOPD (grade I= 4.03±0.40 ng/ml; grade II= 5.16 ±0.26 ng/ml; grade III= 5.82±0.17ng/ml; grade IV= 6.39±0.07ng/ml respectively) were high compared to healthy control (1.84±0.90ng/ml) and were statistically significant. The level of CRP among SCOPD (grade I= 3.30±0.13 ng/ml; grade II= 3.60 ±0.09 ng/ml; grade III= 3.91±0.12ng/ml; grade IV= 4.41±0.10 ng/ml respectively) were high compared to healthy control (1.63±0.77ng/ml) and were statistically significant.

Conclusion: Our research suggested that serum suPAR and CRP, particularly in grades III and IV SCOPD, may be significant players in the inflammatory process of COPD. Therefore, measures of serum suPAR and CRP may be helpful for assessing and predicting the outcome of stable COPD.