The present study was conducted to assess the characteristics oj airway inflammation in patients with COPD by measuring the sputum level oj IL-8. Eighty subjects were included in this study. 40 patients with COPD. 30 patients with bronchial asthma and 10 healthy control. All Qf studied groups were subjected to Jull history. ventilatory pulmonary Junction tests and measurement oj IL-8 in sputum supemant by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (EUSA). The study elucidated significant higher level ojIL-8 in COPD patients than in bronchial asthma patients or in the control subjects. There was sfgn!ficant negative correlation between sputum level oj IL-8 and pulmonary junction parameters. Also it was Jound that EFV1% was the only parameter oj pulmonary junction test which could sign!ficantly predict the sputum level ojIL-8. It is concluded that IL-8 may serve as a marker in evaluation ojthe severity ojairway inflammation and its sputum level was closely related to the sf!verity ojairway obstruction in COPD patients