Serum and sputum surfactants -A and -D in multidrug-resistant and drugsensitive tuberculosis patients

Abstract

Abnormal production and function of surfactants are associated with pulmonary diseases. Also, pulmonary infections alter surfactant metabolism. Due to lack of information on the levels of surfactants A (SP-A) and D (SP-D) in Nigerian tuberculosis (TB) patients, this study assessed these surfactants in both sputum and serum of drug sensitive- and multidrug resistant- TB patients using ELISA. The aim is to explore the diagnostic or therapeutic potential of SP-A and SP-D in TB patients. Also, to find out appropriate sample for the analyses of SP-A and SP-D in TB patients.

The mean serum levels of SP-A and SP-D were not significantly reduced in MDR-TB (n=30) and DS-TB patients (n=30) compared with non-TB apparently healthy controls (n=30) (p > 0.05). Mean sputum levels of SP-A and SP-D were significantly reduced in DS-TB patients compared with the levels in MDR-TB patients (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the sputum SP-D and SP-A levels but not serum SP-D and SP-A levels are useful indicators of the disease activity in pulmonary TB patients.

Keywords: Tuberculosis, Surfactants, Diagnosis, Nigeria