Ninety one COPD patients, 29 smokers (S) and 37 non-smokers (NS) underwent sputum induction, plasma sampling (to measure IL-6 and soluble IL-6 receptor [sIL-6R] by immunoassay), monocyte characterization (by flow cytometry) and monocyte isolation for cell migration and quantitative polymerase chain reaction studies. Here, IL6R is linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.