Inflammatory Markers in Determining the Severity of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Hospitalized Patients
Aims and background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is said to be a heterogeneous lung condition which is characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms that are caused due to abnormalities of the airways and/or alveoli. It is linked with significant mortality and morbidity. The recogni...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Jaypee Brothers Medical Publisher
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Indian Journal of Respiratory Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.ijrc.in/doi/IJRC/pdf/10.5005/jp-journals-11010-1153 |
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| Summary: | Aims and background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is said to be a heterogeneous lung condition which is characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms that are caused due to abnormalities of the airways and/or alveoli. It is linked with significant mortality and morbidity. The recognition of reliable markers for assessing the severity of acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) is essential for guiding treatment decisions and improving patient outcomes.
Objective: This study investigates the role of inflammatory markers in determining the severity of AECOPD in hospitalized patients.
Methodology: This prospective observational study was conducted among patients admitted to hospitals affiliated with to Bangalore Medical College, Bengaluru, between February 2023 and October 2023. Inflammatory markers such as platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) were analyzed, and these parameters were correlated with the severity of AECOPD using descriptive statistics, correlations, and area under the curve (AUC) values.
Results: The study included a total of 130 patients with AECOPD. The severity distribution of AECOPD was as follows: mild (10.8%), moderate (20.8%), severe (10.0%), very severe (32.3%), and life-threatening (26.2%). Significant correlations were found between PLR (<i>r</i> = 0.241, <i>p</i> = 0.006), NLR (<i>r</i> = 0.248, <i>p</i> = 0.005), LMR (<i>r</i> = 0.288, <i>p</i> = 0.001), and AECOPD severity. The area under the curve (AUC) values for PLR, NLR, and LMR were 0.639, 0.562, and 0.611, respectively. PLR showed the highest AUC in detecting severe AECOPD.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates a significant correlation between inflammatory markers such as PLR, NLR, and LMR and the severity of AECOPD in hospitalized patients. These markers show potential as adjunctive tools for assessing disease severity and guiding treatment decisions in AECOPD. Further validation studies are warranted to confirm their utility and establish their clinical applicability.
Clinical significance: COPD is a disease associated with high morbidity and mortality during exacerbations. This study aims to utilize hematological indices, which are easily accessible in low-resource settings such as India, to predict the severity of AECOPD. This approach aids in providing early intervention, potentially reducing morbidity and mortality. |
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| ISSN: | 2277-9019 2321-4899 |