Aim: to assess the degree and nature of the autoimmune orientation of systemic inflammation in patients with COPD.

Material and methods. Levels of interleukins 1ß,10,17 and TGF 1ß, pulmonary antibodies (LAT) and antinuclear antibodies (ANA) were determined in 114 COPD patients.

Results: Elevated LAT titers were noted in 93.6% among patients of severe and extremely severe stage and in 100% in persons with emphysematous phenotype. The presence of weak correlations between TNF-? and LAT (r=0.19), IL10 and LAT (r=0.18), as well as TNF-?/IL10 and LAT (r=0.20) is shown. Elevated levels of ANA reflecting a systemic autoimmune process were noted in 16.7% of COPD patients, more among patients with extremely severe stage (30.0%) and emphysematous phenotype of the disease (25.0%). An increase in the level of IL-17 was noted in 32% of patients. With the increasing severity of the disease, the proportion of people with an elevated level increases from 22.2% to 38.8% and mainly in patients with COPD of emphysematous phenotype. A weak correlation was noted between TGF 1ß and ANA (r=0.24).

Conclusion: The cytokine intensity of the immune response determines the likelihood of developing autoimmune processes, which is demonstrated by the frequency of high titers of tissue antibodies to lung tissue and ANA. Isolation of immune phenotypes dictates the possibility of other approaches to pathogenetic therapy.