Niveles séricos de metaloproteinasa 9 (mmp-9) y del inhibidor tisular de mmp tipo 1 (timp-1) en pacientes venezolanos con asma o con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (epoc)

serum levels of metalloproteinase (mmp) 9, an enzyme involved in inflammation, and its counterpart, the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases type 1 (timp-1) are significantly (p < 0.01) increased in patients with asthma or with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd) as compared with controls of the same age. the increase in both parameters is more significant (p < 0.0001) in severe patients of both groups, and particularly in patients with severe copd as compared to severe asthmatics (p < 0.01). the increase in serum mmp-9 levels in relation with severity is higher than the observed values for timp-1 in both diseases. it is concluded that serum levels of mmp-9 and timp-1 may be important markers to establish severity in these diseases.