Correlation between α-SMA and ß-catenin levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and severity of pneumonia

Objectives: To assess the association of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) α-SMA and ß-catenin levels and the severity of pneumonia.

Methods: The records of patients with severe pneumonia treated in our hospital from June 2019 to June 2020 were selected. The clinical outcome was observed within 10 days. For the purpose of analysis, patients were divided into two groups according to the outcome, 47 cases in the improvement group and 39 cases in the deterioration group. The intubation time, mechanical ventilation time and APACHE II score 10 days after admission were compared between the two groups; We assessed pulmonary infections using the clinical pulmonary infection score(CPIS). The levels of α-SMA and ß-catenin in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid at different time points were compared and analyzed, to analyze the association between the levels and the CPIS.

Results: The APACHE II score in the improvement group were lower than those in the deterioration group (P<0.05). The expressions of α-SMA and ß-catenin in the BALF of patients in the improvement group were significantly lower than those of patients in the deterioration group on day 1, 3, and 7 (P<0.05); and the expressions of α-SMA and ß-catenin in the BALF of patients in the improvement group decreased with time, while those of patients in the deterioration group increased gradually with time(P<0.05). The expressions of α-SMA and ß-catenin in patients with CPIS>6 was significantly higher than those in patients with CPI≤6(P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the levels of α-SMA and ß-catenin in BALF were positively correlated with the CPIS.

Conclusion: The levels of α-SMA and ß-catenin in BALF are closely associated with the clinical condition of patients with severe pneumonia; the levels are positively associated with the severity of the disease and they increase with symptomatic worsening.