CORRELATION OF C-REACTIVE PROTEIN AND COPD SEVERITY

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Clinical Medicine
• Inflammation Research

Background:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease marked by systemic inflammation.
• Understanding the relationship between systemic inflammation markers and COPD severity is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To correlate C-reactive protein (CRP) and total leukocyte count with clinical indicators in COPD patients during exacerbation.
• To assess the predictive value of systemic inflammation parameters for COPD severity.

Main Methods:

• 157 COPD outpatients and inpatients during exacerbation were studied.
• Clinical indicators included COPD Assessment Test (CAT), mMRC dyspnea scale, GOLD classification, pulmonary function tests (FEV1, FVC), and comorbidities.
• CRP levels and total leukocyte counts were measured and correlated with clinical data.

Main Results:

• CRP levels, unlike leukocyte counts, significantly correlated with COPD severity per GOLD classification (p < 0.001).
• Higher CRP concentrations were associated with increased disease severity.
• CRP levels were significantly higher in patients with high CAT scores and mMRC scores (p < 0.001).
• Leukocyte counts showed a similar trend with CAT scores but not mMRC.

Conclusions:

• CRP levels during COPD exacerbation can serve as an independent predictor of disease severity and paraclinical findings.
• Systemic inflammation, particularly CRP, plays a significant role in the clinical presentation of COPD exacerbations.