Immune variation in idiopathic bronchiectasis

Abstract

Bronchiectasis is a chronic suppurative lung disease. It is the pathological end-point of many disease processes including cystic fibrosis and antibody deficiency. In many cases of bronchiectasis, termed 'idiopathic', no clear cause is found, even when extensive investigations are carried out. This study recruited a cohort of patients with idiopathic bronchiectasis and evaluated them for polymorphisms in candidate genes with potential modulating influences on immune function. Variation in genes coding for MBL (mannose binding lectin) and the low- affinity IgG receptor CD32A were examined in an idiopathic bronchiectasis cohort and compared with healthy Irish controls.