IMPACT OF ANEMIA ON COMPLICATIONS IN CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE PATIENTS-CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Anemia is a common comorbidity among COPD patients, and it has been associated to reduce functional ability, poor quality of life, increased COPD exacerbations, and early mortality. The study's goal is to compare the complications in COPD patients who have anaemia to those who don't. Methods: This is a case-control study conducted in RL Jalappa Hospital on COPD patients with and without anemia during Jan- 2020 to Dec- 2021. CBC parameters, investigation parameters, vital signs parameters were considered as primary outcome variables. The study group (COPD with anemia Vs. COPD without anemia) was considered as a primary explanatory variable. Results: The mean age in COPD with anemia group is 62.6 ± 9.43, and that in COPD without anemia is 61.4 ± 6.99. In our study, the mean Hb in COPD patients, both anaemic and non-anemic was 9.42 1.87 g/dL and 15.07 1.46 g/dL, respectively. Pulmonary function variables FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, SpO2 (low), and respiratory rate between the study groups had no significant statistical difference (p-value >0.05). Conclusions: Our study did not show any impact of anaemia on complications in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Complications like exacerbations of COPD, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, cardiac arrhythmias. Anemic COPD patients are found to have low body temperature, low hemoglobin, and relatively higher MCHC levels compared to non-anemic COPD patients.