BACKGROUND:

Tumour Necrosis Factor ? is a polypeptide cytokine produced by monocytes and macrophages which acts as a multipotent modulator of immune response. Production of TNF ? is stimulated by various infections and tissue injury. Our study primarily aims to evaluate TNF ? levels and its correlation with the severity of bronchiectasis.

OBJECTIVES:

To measure the serum TNF ? levels in patients with bronchiectasis

To find association between the serum TNF ? levels and severity of bronchiectasis.

METHODS:

The study was a Hospital based cross sectional study.A detailed clinical history and physical examination was carried out in study subjects. Chest X-ray and HRCT thorax were done to diagnose Bronchiectasis. The patients were subjected to bacterial sputum culture and sensitivity, spirometry and their blood samples was collected for serum TNF ? analysis. These data were used for associating clinico-radiological and functional severity of bronchiectasis with TNF ? by using FACED and BSI severity scores.

RESULTS:

Serum TNF ? was increased in bronchiectasis especially in patients with acute exacerbations and pseudomonas species colonization. The patients with severe BSI and FACED scores had a statistically significant raise in serum TNF ?

Conclusion:

This study propounds an impeccable clinical data by measuring serum TNF ? levels in patients with bronchiectasis and its significance by evaluating severity of the disease, outcome and prognosis.