Correlations Between Inflammatory Biomarkers and COPD Severity in a Real-Life Setting

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Inflammation Research
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of mortality globally.
• Identifying accessible prognostic biomarkers is crucial for managing COPD.
• Inflammation plays a key role in COPD development and progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate inflammatory markers for estimating COPD severity (GOLD stages 1-4).
• To guide management and treatment decisions in COPD patients.
• To reduce exacerbations and mortality in COPD.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive observational, cross-sectional study of 100 stable COPD patients.
• Standard clinical examination, lung function tests, and blood inflammation panel.
• Analysis of parameters including IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR).

Main Results:

• NLR, IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, male sex, smoking status, BMI, and nocturnal heart rate correlated with COPD severity.
• NLR showed significant correlation with 6-minute walk test distance and FEV1/FVC ratio.
• IL-6 correlated with pack-years and FVC (%); IL-8 correlated with biomass fuel exposure.

Conclusions:

• NLR is a simple, accessible, and informative biomarker for COPD severity and functional decline.
• Integrating NLR into routine assessments can improve COPD prognosis and clinical decision-making.
• Further multicenter studies are needed to confirm these findings.