Serum Electrolytes in Patients Presenting With Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and...

Introduction Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, which may be further aggravated by episodes of acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). Electrolyte imbalances during these episodes may add to the duration of hospitalization and disease outcome. Aims and objectives This study aims to compare the serum electrolyte levels of patients with AECOPD and stable COPD and correlate them with the severity of exacerbation and disease outcome. Materials and methods The study was conducted as a case-control study between January 2021 and December 2022. Patients with AECOPD and stable COPD were included as "cases" and "controls," respectively. The various serum electrolyte levels were defined as per recent guidelines. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results A total of 75 patients were included with 41 in the study group and 34 in the control group. The majority of people were between the ages of 61 and 70. The most frequent electrolyte abnormality found was hyponatremia. The mean serum sodium and calcium levels were lower in patients with AECOPD while the mean serum potassium levels were higher. A total of five deaths were recorded in patients with two or more electrolyte imbalances. The latter also had a requirement for home oxygen or non-invasive ventilation at the time of discharge. Conclusion Patients of AECOPD with multiple electrolyte imbalances need scrutinized treatment as they are more prone to develop complications, have poorer outcomes, and prolonged hospital stays.