The evaluation of cardiac functions according to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease groups

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Pulmonology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) significantly impacts cardiovascular health.
• Right and left ventricular dysfunction are common complications in COPD patients.
• Echocardiography (ECHO) is a key tool for assessing cardiac function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare right and left ventricular functions using ECHO in different COPD severity groups.
• To investigate the association between cardiac function and functional parameters in COPD.
• To identify potential cardiovascular risks in symptomatic COPD patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of ECHO data from 126 COPD patients (2015-2018).
• Correlation of ECHO findings with pulmonary function tests, 6-minute-walking test (6MWT), mMRC, CAT, and BODE scores.
• Categorization of patients into COPD assessment stages (A, B, C, D).

Main Results:

• Significant differences in systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) and left ventricle end-systolic diameter (LVEF) across COPD groups (p<0.001 and p=0.004).
• Elevated sPAP observed in COPD groups D and B; lowest LVEF in group D.
• Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) were most prevalent in COPD groups D and B.

Conclusions:

• Symptomatic COPD patients in groups B and D may experience exacerbated symptoms due to increased pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and cardiovascular comorbidities.
• Early and comprehensive cardiovascular evaluation is crucial for managing COPD patients.
• Echocardiography plays a vital role in detecting and monitoring cardiac complications in COPD.