Savchenko L, et al. - In patients with COPD, researchers examined the role of interleukin-26 (IL-26) as well as assessed the association between the level of systemic inflammation, lung function, and body mass index (BMI). Participants in the study were 83 patients with COPD in the stable condition, aged 40–70 years. Findings revealed that leptin level had a positive association with BMI and C-reactive protein (CRP), and negative with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁), FEV₁/forced vital capacity. The present data indicated that obese COPD patients had a higher level of persistent systemic inflammation vs non-obese ones, which was confirmed by a significant increase of CRP and leptin in serum. In lung tissue of COPD patients, IL-26 could be considered as a perspective marker to detect the inflammation level.