Study of microalbuminuria in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients at tertiary care teaching hospital

Assessment of incidence of cerebral vascular diseases and prediction of stroke risk in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients using multimodal biomarkers

BACKGROUND

Early assessment of cerebrovascular disease in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients is an important issue for a favorable influence on the quality of life.

METHODOLOGY

This cross-sectional case-control study was conducted on 38 eligible COPD patients (mean age 55.5 ± 11.5, 25 males, and 13 females) and 26 age-/sex-matched healthy controls. All participants were subjected to stroke risk screening instruments that included the Stroke Riskometer™, the Framingham 10-Year Risk Score, the stroke risk screening tool (the Department of Disease Control of Thailand), the My Risk Stroke Calculator, and Q Stroke. Radiologically, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and echo-gradient MRI (T2 star) T2 star imaging were done. Color-coded duplex sonography was done. Laboratory investigations included C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A, plasma fibrinogen level, serum IL6, 8-Isoprostane, vWF and urinary albumin creatinine ratio.

RESULTS

Stroke risk screening instruments revealed a significant increase in COPD patients. DTI showed a significant bilateral reduction in fractional isotropy and a significant bilateral increase in mean diffusivity of white matter through many areas in COPD patients. Patients also had a significant increase of intima-media thickness, presence of atherosclerotic focal thicknesses or plaques on duplex sonography. There was a significant elevation of CRP, serum amyloid A, plasma fibrinogen level, serum IL6, 8-isoprostane, von Willebrand factor (vWF), and urinary albumin creatinine ratio in COPD patients.

CONCLUSION

COPD patients had an increased risk for stroke that could be assessed on stroke risk screening instruments, DTI, T2 star, duplex sonography, and laboratory investigation and could be correlated with the severity of the disease.

Microalbuminuria on admission for acute exacerbation of COPD as a predictor of all-cause mortality and future exacerbations

OBJECTIVES

Microalbuminuria (MAB) is a sensitive biomarker of cardiovascular risk that is directly associated with cardiovascular events and mortality. Recent studies have evaluated the presence of MAB in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or hospitalised for acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD).

METHODS

We evaluated 320 patients admitted for AECOPD in respiratory medicine departments of two tertiary hospitals. On admission, demographic, clinical and laboratory values and COPD severity were assessed. Patients were evaluated monthly for 1 year, recording new AECOPD and death from any cause.

RESULTS

Patients with documented MAB (urinary albumin excretion of 30-300 mg/24 hours) on admission had worse lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s, %) (mean (SD) 34.2 (13.6)% vs 61.5 (16.7)%), higher modified Medical Research Council (3.6 (1.2) vs 2.1 (0.8)), lower 6 min walk test (171 (63) vs 366 (104)) and more hospitalisation days (9 (2.8) vs 4.7 (1.9)) (p<0.001 for all comparisons). MAB was also correlated with Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease 2020 COPD stages (p<0.001). In multivariate regression analysis, MAB was a significant predictor of longer hospitalisation duration (OR 6.847, 95% CI 3.050 to 15.370, p<0.0001). Twelve-month follow-up revealed that patients with MAB experienced more AECOPDs (4.6 (3.6) vs 2.2 (3.5), p<0.0001) and deaths, n (%) (52 (36.6) vs 14 (7.8), p<0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival curves demonstrated that patients with MAB presented with increased mortality, AECOPD and hospitalisation for AECOPD risk at 1 year (p<0.001 for all comparisons).

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of MAB on admission for AECOPD was associated with more severe COPD and prolonged hospitalisation, as well as with higher rates of AECOPD and mortality risk at 1-year follow-up.