16-KDA clara cell protein(CC16) levels in chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases depending on the severity

16-KDA Clara Cell Protein(CC16) Levels in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases Depending on the Severity Introduction and Objective: Clara cell protein (CC16) is a protein that is secreted by non-ciliated Clara cells in respiratory bronchiole and non-ciliated columnar epithelial cells in large or small airways. CC16 protein is immunosuppresssive and protective against carcinogenesis with oxidative stress. Its? level is decreased in lungs in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and cigarette smokers due to consumption and epithelial damage. But studies about serum levels of CC16 yielded different results in COPD patients. The aim of our study is to discuss relation between serum CC16 levels and severity of disease (with pulmonary function tests) in COPD patients , history of vocational and enviromental exposure, smoking. Method: Demographic characteristics, history of smoking, pulmonary function tests and serum CC-16 levels of 83 COPD patients in Düzce University Medical Faculty Pulmonary Medicine Clinic is evaluated . Findings: The mean age of 83 patients participating in the study was 64.5 ± 9.2 (min: 39- max: 87). The majority of patients were male. Workers and farmers were priority group in terms of profession at ranking High proportion of patients were living in county and villages. Generally they graduated from primary school and gived up smoking. Most of the cases consisted from intermediate and severe patients. CC16 level of COPD cases was increasing depending on the severity of disease. But the difference wasn?t statistically significant. CC16 levels in smokers were higher but the difference between groups wasn?t statistically significant. CC16 level of female patients (5.44 ± 1.07) was higher than that of male patients (5.13 ± 0.99) but the difference wasn?t statistically significant (p=0.448). The rate of animal feeding patients was %56 while most of COPD patients were using coal stove (%90.5). The rate of patients who reported factory close to home (1 km area), was %27.4. There v was a negative correlation between the ages and level of CC16 of COPD patients (r=-0.427, p=0.005). Age was obtained independently effective on CC16 levels by regression analysis. (Beta=-0.429, t= -4.367, p=0.003). Conclusion: Serum CC16 level was increasing depending on the severity of disease in COPD patients. But these results weren?t statistically significant. There are also conflicting results in studies that made in this issue. More researches must be done for the usage of CC-16 protein clinically.