Diabetes mellitus in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – the tip of the iceberg

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by systemic inflammation caused primarily by tobacco use, and it is associated with an increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, both viral and bacterial, which are responsible for acute COPD exacerbations (AECOPD). Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common comorbidities in COPD patients. In our study, we attempted to detect previously undiagnosed diabetes in AECOPD patients who presented to our institute. The study included 100 patients who had been diagnosed with AECOPD. Pearson’s coefficient correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between various parameters. The vast majority of patients belonged to group 3 (diagnosed at the time of admission as having type 2 diabetes). Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) had a significant positive correlation with body mass index, cholesterol, and total leukocyte count but a negative correlation with oxygen saturation. Using HbA1C, nearly two-thirds of the AECOPD were newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Our findings suggest that diabetes is significantly underdiagnosed in COPD patients.