A study of polycythaemia and associated factors in COPD patients attending a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Prevalence of polycythaemia amongst patients with COPD and its long term effects are unknown. There is limited information in the current literature describing the distribution of haemoglobin (Hb) and its impact on outcomes in the COPD population. The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of polycythaemia in patients with COPD attending a pulmonary clinic, as well as to explore the associations between Hb levels and clinical outcomes.A case series descriptive study was conducted on 50 patients of COPD attending pulmonary OPD of a tertiary care hospital.All subjects were male and were aged between 40‐85 years. Mean age among of COPD patients with anaemia was 62.00± 10.37yrs and with polycythaemia was 62.86 ±9.03yrs. Amongst COPD patients with polycythaemia mean BMI was 18.49 ±3.78. Severity of smoking pack years among the patient group was maximum of 60 pack years and minimum of 20 pack years. Mean value of PCV among patients with polycythaemia and without polycythaemia were 56.29±2.87 and 41.09 ± 4.18 respectively.Polycythaemia did not seem to be related with either increased COPD severity or with altered outcomes.