Changes and Response Predictive Values of Serum miR-210 and miR-181a in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients Treated with Glucocorticoid Therapy

Background There are rare studies assessing the efficacy of inhaled glucocorticoids (ICS) , the common therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) . MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been confirmed to be involved in the development of COPD, among which miR-210 and miR-181a are closely related to COPD. Moreover, there is lack of clinical research on changes of miR-210 and miR-181a in COPD patients treated with ICS. Objective To examine the changes and response predictive values of serum miR-210 and miR-181a levels in stable COPD patients treated with ICS. Methods Eighty-six COPD outpatients were recruited from 363 Hospital from January 2017 to June 2020. All of them received four-week budesonide and formoterol inhalation. Treatment efficacy was assessed by the results of spirometry test or COPD Assessment Test (CAT) 〔responsive to treatment was defined as the COPD stage was reduced at least one stage or CAT score was reduced at least 2 points after treatment〕. Pre- and post-treatment lung function parameters〔including forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) , forced vital capacity (FVC) , and peak expiratory flow (PEF) 〕 and serum miR-210 and miR-181a levels were collected. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the associations of serum miR-210 and miR-181a levels with FEV1, FVC, and PEF as well as CAT score before and after the treatment. ROC analysis was used to assess the predictive values of serum miR-210 and miR-181a levels for treatment response in stable COPD. Results Compared with pre-treatment, stable COPD patients demonstrated significantly increased values of FEV1, FVC, and PEF, and significantly decreased CAT score, serum miR-210 and miR-181a levels after treatment (P