TNF and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: For example, a randomized controlled trial that included 101 patients with COPD demonstrated that the anti-IL-5 receptor blocker alpha showed some improvement in lung function in patients with high eosinophil counts.[9] Another phase II clinical trial showed that CXCR2 antagonists reduced chemotaxis of neutrophils and attenuated Inflammation of the trachea in COPD.[10] Several cross-sectional studies have also revealed high levels of TNF-α in the peripheral blood of COPD patients.