Tuberc Respir Dis.  2002 May;52(5):506-518.

The Relationship of Serum Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE), Angiotensin II and Clinical Markers in the Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonia

• Kyung SY
• Hahn HS
• Song SH
• Hwang JK
• Lim YH
• An CH
• Park GY
• Park JW
• Jeong SH
• Ha SY
• Lee JW

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There have been several studies showing that angiotensin II and the angiotensin convertingenzyme (ACE) contribute to the activation of fibroblast including the pulmonary fibrosis, and apoptosis of the al veolar epithelium in idiopathic intersititial pneumonia. This study was performed to identify the relationship between the serum angiotensin II. ACE and the pulmonary function test (PFT), the dyspnea score, and the cell fraction of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF).
METHODS
Twenty three patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia from March, 1999 to October, 2001 at Gachon medical school were enrolled in this study. They were divided into IPF(UIP) (16) and NSIP (7) group. Twelve of the idiopathic interstitial pneumonia patients (UIP : 5, NSIP: 7) were diagnosed by an open lung biopsy, 11 of IPF patients were diagnosed by the American Thoracic Society (ATS) diagnostic criteria. The PFT values, dyspnea score, serum ACE and angiotensin II were measured, and a bronchoscopy was performed to obtain the BALF.
RESULTS
Of all the patients, 7 were in the normal range and 14 showed an increase in the serum level of angiotensin II. In terms of the serum ACE level, 14 patients had an increased level. The DLCO% of the angiotensin II. increased group was significantly lower than the not-increased group (p=0.021). Other factors did not correlate with the serum ACE or the angiotensin II increased group and not-increased group.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that an increased angiotensinII serum level may be associated with in crease in the of alveolar capillary block in the progression of pulmonary fibrosis in idiopathic interstitial pneumonia.

Keyword

Idiopathic interstitial pneumonia; Angiotensin converting enzyme; Angiotensin II; Fibrosis

MeSH Terms

Angiotensin II*
Angiotensins*
Apoptosis
Biomarkers*
Biopsy
Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
Bronchoscopy
Capillaries
Dyspnea
Epithelium
Fibroblasts
Fibrosis
Humans
Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias*
Lung
Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A*
Pneumonia
Pulmonary Fibrosis
Reference Values
Respiratory Function Tests
Schools, Medical
Angiotensin II
Angiotensins
Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A