Distinct inflammatory profiles in mustard lung: A study of sulfur mustard-exposed patients with serious pulmonary complications

• Published in: International immunopharmacology Vol. 146; p. 113832
• Main Authors: Pourfarzam, Shahryar, Ardestani, Sussan Kaboudanian, Jamali, Tahereh, Ghazanfari, Hadi, Naghizadeh, Mohammad Mehdi, Faghihzadeh, Soghrat, Yaraee, Roya, Ghazanfari, Zeinab, Ghazanfari, Tooba
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 27.01.2025
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biomarkers - blood; Biomarkers - metabolism; Chemical Warfare Agents - toxicity; Cytokines - blood; Cytokines - metabolism; Disease Severity; Humans; Inflammation; Inflammation Mediators - metabolism; Inflammatory mediators; Lung - drug effects; Lung - immunology; Lung - pathology; Lung Diseases - chemically induced; Lung Diseases - immunology; Male; Middle Aged; Mustard Gas - toxicity; Mustard lung; Respiratory Diseases; Sputum; Sulfur mustard; Veterans; Respiratory Diseases; Disease Severity; Inflammation; Inflammatory mediators; Sulfur mustard; Mustard lung
• DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.113832
• ISSN: 1567-5769; 1878-1705

•Differences in some inflammatory markers in ML group compared to the controls indicate a unique inflammatory response to SM.•The severity of ML significantly influences serum levels of inflammatory markers.•The inflammatory profiles of ML differ significantly from asthma, BO, and CB, supporting ML as a unique pulmonary condition. Mustard Lung (ML) refers to respiratory complications caused by sulfur mustard (SM) exposure, a chemical warfare agent. This study explores the inflammatory profile of SM-exposed veterans with serious ML, aiming to distinguish it from other respiratory diseases. The aim is also to comprehend the role of inflammatory markers in disease severity. A study was conducted on 257 male SM-exposed veterans and 64 unexposed control subjects. Inflammatory markers in serum and sputum samples were measured using the ELISA technique. Clinical evaluations identified the SM-exposed group as the patients with serious problems. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare groups. SM-exposed veterans exhibited decreased serum levels of IL-1α, IL-8, IL-17, GM-CSF, and NO compared to controls, while other markers did not differ significantly. Intriguingly, inflammatory patterns in ML subgroups, including those resembling Bronchiolitis Obliterans (BO), Chronic Bronchitis (CB), and asthma, differed from the corresponding cases of these diseases as reported in prior literature. Additionally, certain factors demonstrated notable decreases in concentration in severe ML cases compared to controls. The study reveals substantial changes in inflammatory markers in ML patients, highlighting their distinctive profile compared to other respiratory conditions. Despite some similarities with asthma, BO, and CB, the ML shows discernible variations in the levels of most inflammatory markers. Furthermore, the severity of ML impacted the serum levels of specific factors. These findings support the notion of classifying ML as a separate pulmonary condition, distinct from CB, BO, and asthma, opening avenues for further research and tailored treatment strategies.