Dexamethasone showed more %maximum inhibitory effect (%Emax) on IL-8 release in HBECs from healthy subjects (%Emax 60%) compared with cells from smokers (%Emax 24.5%) and COPD patients (%Emax 21.2%) (Fig. 2g). This evidence concerns the gene CXCL8 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.