Cystic fibrosis: inflammatory response to infection with Burkholderia cepacia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pulmonary colonization by Burkholderia cepacia in cystic fibrosis (CF) may be associated,vith enhanced deterioration of pulmonary function. This may b e due to a more florid host inflammatory response than in colonization by P seudomonas aeruginosa, leading to greater lung injury. Circulating markers of inflammation were determined during infective exacer bations and periods of clinical stability in an 18 month prospective study in adults with CF colonized by I! aeruginosa (n=41). B. cepacia (n=13) and in adults who intermittently grew B. cepacia (n=6). There were no differences between the levels of the inflammation markers me asured in the three groups (P! aeruginosa, B. cepacia, B. cepacia intermitt ent) at any of the assessment points. When clinically stable, levels of inf lammatory markers in all groups were elevated compared to a matched non-CF population, indicating, continuous inflammation and the potential for lung damage between infective exacerbations. This study does not support the hypothesis that pulmonary colonization,vith Burkholderia cepacia is associated with a heightened inflammatory response compared,vith Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization.