Study objectives The central role of apoptosis in the regulation of lung inflammation is
increasingly recognized. The aim of this study was to determine the parameters of cell
activation and apoptosis on neutrophils from the circulation and the pulmonary compartment
in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), and to assess the role of the Fas
system and of complement-regulating molecules in this context. Design and methods The
study population consisted of nine patients with CAP (group 1) and six age-matched control …