FREQUENCY OF ANEMIA IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD).

Abstract

Background; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) leads to significant morbidity and poor quality of life among patients. This study was conducted to evaluate anemia among patients with COPD as there is no such study done in our population. Material and Methods: This Cross sectional study enrolled a total of 142 patients with COPD from Department of Medicine, Nishtar Hospital Multan. Three ml of venous blood sample was drawn and sent to Pathology Laboratory of the hospital for hemoglobin estimation to diagnose anemia. All the relevant information were noted on the proforma and data was analyzed by using computer program SPSS version 20. Results; Of these 142 study cases, 94 (66.2%) were male patients while 48 (33.8%) were female patients. Mean age of our study cases was 54.68 ± 6.47 years (with minimum age of our study cases was 35 years while maximum age was 60 years). Fifty seven (40.1%) were rural while 85 (59.9%) had urban residential background, 116 (81.7%) were poor, 34 (23.9%) were diabetic and 31.7% were hypertensive. Our study results reported 87 (61.3 %) were normal weight, 33 (23.2 %) were overweight and 22 (15.5 %) were obese. Smoking was noted in 70 (49.3%) patients. Mean duration of illness was 26.32 ± 12.44 months and 92 (64.8%) had disease duration more than 18 months. Mean hemoglobin level of our patients was 11.14 ± 1.76 g/dL (Range; 9.4 g/dL to 14.5 g/dL) and anemia was present in 64 (45.1%) patients. 

Conclusion; Very high frequency of anemia was noted in our study among patients having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Anemia was significantly associated with poor socio – economic status, obesity and prolonged disease duration. Clinicians who are treating these patients with COPD must check their hemoglobin levels regularly for better prognosis.

Keywords; Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease, anemia, frequency.