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C-reactive protein levels in stable COPD patients: a case-control study
Denise Rossato Silva1, Marcelo Basso Gazzana1, Marli Maria Knorst1
1Department of Internal Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil ; Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Insights
C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were similar in stable COPD patients and controls. However, in COPD patients, female sex and lower forced vital capacity (FVC) were linked to elevated CRP levels.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Clinical Chemistry
- Inflammation Biomarkers
Background:
- Previous research indicates elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) in stable COPD patients.
- Higher CRP levels are often associated with comorbidities like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
- The current study investigates CRP levels in stable COPD patients without comorbidities and their association with clinical characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are elevated in stable COPD patients compared to controls.
- To explore the association between CRP levels and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and clinical characteristics in COPD patients.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted with 60 stable COPD patients and 30 age- and sex-matched controls.
- Participants were non-smokers.
- CRP levels and PFTs (including forced vital capacity - FVC) were measured in both groups.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in median CRP levels was observed between COPD patients (3.17 mg/L) and controls (2.13 mg/L).
- Significant positive correlation found between body mass index (BMI) and CRP (r=0.3, P=0.045) in COPD patients.
- Multivariate analysis revealed female sex and lower FVC (% of predicted) were associated with CRP levels > 3 mg/dL in COPD patients.
Conclusions:
- CRP levels are not significantly different in stable COPD patients compared to controls.
- Female sex and reduced FVC (% predicted) are associated with elevated CRP levels (> 3 mg/dL) in COPD patients.
Background:
Previous studies have documented that C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are increased in stable COPD patients. However, most studies have also shown that higher CRP levels are observed in patients with comorbidities like diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. We aimed to investigate if CRP levels are increased in stable COPD patients, and if there is an association between CRP levels and pulmonary function tests and clinical characteristics.
Methods:
We conducted a case-control study in a tertiary care, university-affiliated hospital. COPD patients and controls were matched for sex and age in a 2:1 matching ratio. We included only those patients who had quit smoking. CRP levels were determined and pulmonary function tests were performed in both the groups.
Results:
A total of 60 COPD patients and 30 controls were included in the analysis. The study subjects had a mean age of 64.8±8.5 years in COPD group and 64.3±9.2 years in control group (P=0.214). The median of CRP levels was 3.17 mg/L (interquartile range [IQR]: 1.73-5.99 mg/L) in COPD group and 2.13 mg/L (IQR: 1.18-7.69 mg/L) in control group (P=0.370). There were 34 (56.7%) patients in COPD group and 14 (46.7%) patients in control group with CRP levels greater than 3 mg/dL (P=0.382). Using bivariate correlations, we found significant positive correlations in COPD patients between body mass index (BMI) and CRP (r=0.3, P=0.045), and between CRP and forced vital capacity (FVC, % of predicted) (r=-0.3; P=0.023). In a multivariate model, female sex and FVC (% of predicted) were associated with a CRP value greater than 3 mg/dL in the COPD group.
Conclusion:
The levels of CRP in the stable COPD patients were not significantly different when compared to those in the control subjects. Female sex and FVC (% predicted) were associated with CRP levels greater than 3 mg/dL in the COPD group.
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