Hydrogen gas (XEN) inhalation ameliorates airway inflammation in asthma and COPD patients

Abstract

Summary Background Hydrogen was proven to have anti-oxidative and anti-inflammation effects to various diseases. Aim We wish to investigate the acute effects of inhaled hydrogen on airway inflammation in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Design Prospective study. Methods In total, 2.4% hydrogen containing steam mixed gas (XEN) was inhaled once for 45 min in 10 patients with asthma and 10 patients with COPD. The levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, interferon-γ, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-2, IL-4, IL-6 and so on in peripheral blood and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) before and after ‘XEN’ inhalation were measured. Results 45 minutes ‘XEN’ inhalation once decreased monocyte chemotactic protein 1 level in both COPD (564.70–451.51 pg/mL, P = 0.019) and asthma (386.39–332.76 pg/mL, P = 0.033) group, while decreased IL-8 level only in asthma group (5.25–4.49 pg/mL, P = 0.023). The level of EBC soluble cluster of differentiation-40 ligand in COPD group increased after inhalation (1.07–1.16 pg/mL, P = 0.031), while IL-4 and IL-6 levels in EBC were significantly lower after inhalation in the COPD (0.80–0.64 pg/mL, P = 0.025) and asthma (0.06–0.05 pg/mL, P = 0.007) group, respectively. Conclusions A single inhalation of hydrogen for 45 min attenuated inflammatory status in airways in patients with asthma and COPD.