Hydrogen Gas Reduces Airway Inflammation in Asthma and COPD Patients
- Authors
- S -T Wang, C Bao, Y He, X Tian, Y Yang, T Zhang, K -F Xu
- Journal
- QJM: An International Journal of Medicine
- Year
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.1093/qjmed/hcaa164
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Asthma
- Body System
- Respiratory
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen-rich steam for 45 minutes reduced signs of inflammation in the airways of people with asthma and COPD.
Key Finding
A single 45-minute inhalation of 2.4% hydrogen gas reduced multiple airway inflammation markers in both asthma and COPD patients, including MCP-1 in both groups and IL-8 in asthma patients.
Summary
Researchers tested whether inhaling a mixture containing 2.4% hydrogen gas for 45 minutes could reduce airway inflammation in patients with asthma and COPD (a lung disease that makes breathing difficult). They measured inflammatory markers (chemical signals that indicate inflammation) in the blood and breath before and after the treatment. The hydrogen inhalation reduced several inflammation markers in both groups, suggesting it may have anti-inflammatory effects in the airways.
Practical Takeaway
This small human study suggests hydrogen gas inhalation may have acute anti-inflammatory effects in people with asthma and COPD. However, this was a single short treatment in only 20 patients total, so it's unclear whether repeated use would be beneficial or safe long-term. More research is needed before this could be considered a practical therapy.
Abstract
Summary Background Hydrogen was proven to have anti-oxidative and anti-inflammation effects to various diseases. Aim We wish to investigate the acute effects of inhaled hydrogen on airway inflammation in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Design Prospective study. Methods In total, 2.4% hydrogen containing steam mixed gas (XEN) was inhaled once for 45 min in 10 patients with asthma and 10 patients with COPD. The levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, interferon-γ, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-2, IL-4, IL-6 and so on in peripheral blood and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) before and after ‘XEN’ inhalation were measured. Results 45 minutes ‘XEN’ inhalation once decreased monocyte chemotactic protein 1 level in both COPD (564.70–451.51 pg/mL, P = 0.019) and asthma (386.39–332.76 pg/mL, P = 0.033) group, while decreased IL-8 level only in asthma group (5.25–4.49 pg/mL, P = 0.023). The level of EBC soluble cluster of differentiation-40 ligand in COPD group increased after inhalation (1.07–1.16 pg/mL, P = 0.031), while IL-4 and IL-6 levels in EBC were significantly lower after inhalation in the COPD (0.80–0.64 pg/mL, P = 0.025) and asthma (0.06–0.05 pg/mL, P = 0.007) group, respectively. Conclusions A single inhalation of hydrogen for 45 min attenuated inflammatory status in airways in patients with asthma and COPD.