Frequency of Anaemia in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a chronic inflammatory multisystem disease expected to cause anaemia. Anaemia of chronic disease is relatively common in COPD patients but is an under estimated issue. Study Objective: To determine the frequency of anaemia in COPD patients. Study Setting: Institute of Chest Medicine, Mayo Hospital, Lahore – a tertiary care university hospital affiliated with King Edward Medical University, Lahore. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Sample Size: One Hundred and two Patients of COPD diagnosed on standard Spirometric postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC % 0.70. Sample Technique: Purposive. Inclusion Criteria: Clinically stable patients of all categories of COPD were included. Exclusion Criteria: Patients of malignancy, chronic liver disease, chronic heart failure, G.I. hemorrhage, known vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency, myocardial infarction in last one month, unstable angina, unable to perform pulmonary function test and asthmatic patients were excluded. Results: Out of 102 COPD patients anaemia was detected in 21 (20.58%), (Male 20, Female 1) cases The criteria for anaemia diagnosis was Hb 13 gm/dl in males and Hb 12 gm/dl in females. Sixty seven (65.68%) were normal and 14 (13.72%) were policythemic (M – 13 and F: 1). Mean haemoglobin in anaemic patents was 10.14 ± 1.06 gm/dl with P. value of 0.00 which is highly significant. Amongst 21 anaemic patients, 15 patients were normocytic normochromic and 06 were microcytic hypochromic. Conclusion: Anaemia is a relatively common finding in COPD patients.