Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30811465›Full record

ArticlePloS one2019

Plasma cathelicidin and longitudinal lung function in current and former smokers.

Robert M Burkes, Jacquie Astemborski, Allison A Lambert, Todd T Brown, Robert A Wise, Gregory D Kirk, M Bradley Drummond

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 22% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Post-burn Lung Inflammation Is Associated With Induction of Pulmonary Cathelicidin-related Antimicrobial Peptide and S100a8 in Mice.Journal of burn care & research : official publication of the American Burn Association · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Robert M BurkesDivision of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0002-9718-9115
Jacquie AstemborskiDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America.
Allison A LambertDivision of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Washington, Spokane, WA, United States of America.
Todd T BrownDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America.
Robert A WiseDepartment of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America.
Gregory D KirkDepartment of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0002-7829-1405
M Bradley DrummondDivision of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America.
Johns Hopkins University · USUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · USWashington State University Spokane · US

Funding

The AIDS Linked to the Intravenous Experience (ALIVE) StudyU01DA036297 · NIDA · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI Gregory D Kirk, Shruti H Mehta · 2014 to 2026
$28.9M
THE NATURAL HISTORY OF HIV INFECTION AMONG DRUG USERSR01DA004334 · NIDA · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI KIRK, GREGORY D · 1987 to 2011
$7.6M
The Study of HIV Infection in the Etiology of Lung Disease (SHIELD)R01HL090483 · NHLBI · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI KIRK, GREGORY D · 2007 to 2011
$4.4M
Immune Mechanisms of HIV-associated COPDU01HL121814 · NHLBI · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI KIRK, GREGORY D, MCDYER, JOHN F · 2013 to 2017
$3.5M
Predictors, consequences and mechanisms of accelerated lung aging in HIVR01HL126549 · NHLBI · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI KIRK, GREGORY D · 2014 to 2018
$3.2M
Cathelicidin and Vitamin D: Impact on Populations At-Risk and with COPDR01HL125432 · NHLBI · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI DRUMMOND, MICHAEL BRADLEY · 2015 to 2019
$3.1M
Patient-Oriented Research and Mentorship in HIV and Non-Communicable DiseasesK24AI118591 · NIAID · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI KIRK, GREGORY D · 2015 to 2019
$766k
NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL090483NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL125432NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL126549NHLBI NIH HHS U01 HL121814NIAID NIH HHS K24 AI118591NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA004334NIDA NIH HHS U01 DA036297
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionCathelicidin (also known as LL-37 in humans) is an antimicrobial peptide secreted by epithelial and immune cells and regulated by vitamin D. The immunological roles of cathelicidin make it a putative biomarker to identify individuals at risk for reduced lung function. The objective of this study is to determine potential independent associations between low plasma cathelicidin and longitudinal lung function in current or former smokers without COPD.

methodsIn a nested analysis of 308 participants from an observational cohort study, plasma cathelicidin and serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D measurements were obtained at baseline, years three and five. The independent association between lowest quartile cathelicidin (<35 ng/ml) and forced-expiratory-volume-in-1-second (FEV1) at baseline, six and 18 months from each cathelicidin measurement was assessed with generalized estimating equations after adjusting for age, sex, race, smoking status and intensity. The long-term stability of cathelicidin and relationship with vitamin D was evaluated.

resultsThe cohort was 91% African-American, mean age 48.6 years, 32% female, and 81% current smokers. Participants with low cathelicidin were more likely to be female and have lower FEV1. Low cathelicidin was not independently associated with baseline FEV1. There was an independent association between low cathelicidin and reduced FEV1 at six months [-72 ml (95% CI, -140 to -8ml); p = 0.027] and 18 months [-103 ml (95% CI, -180 to -27 ml); p = 0.007]. Cathelicidin was stable over time and not correlated with vitamin D level.

conclusionIn current and former smokers with preserved lung function, low cathelicidin is associated with sustained lung function reductions at six and 18 months, suggesting that cathelicidin may be an informative biomarker to predict persistent lung function disparities among at-risk individuals.

Indexed as

AdultAntimicrobial Cationic PeptidesBiomarkersCathelicidinsFemaleForced Expiratory VolumeHumansLongitudinal StudiesLungMaleMiddle AgedNon-SmokersPredictive Value of TestsPrognosisProspective StudiesPulmonary Disease, Chronic ObstructiveAntimicrobial Cationic PeptidesBiomarkersCathelicidinsVitamin D

Identifiers

PMID30811465
PMCPMC6392327
OpenAlexW2918043838

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.