A cross-sectional study on blood coagulability in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory disease with multisystemic manifestations. Studies either held on stable disease patients or during exacerbations have demonstrated that COPD is strongly related to venous thromboembolism and cardiovascular events.


Aim
Is to evaluate the blood coagulability state in patients with COPD at Assiut University Hospital.


Patients and methods
A total of 108 participants were enrolled in this study and divided into four groups, each comprising 27 individuals: group 1 (stable COPD outpatients), group 2 (COPD inpatients), group 3 (COPD ICU patients), and group 4 (healthy control patients). The blood coagulability state in COPD patients was assessed in comparison to healthy individuals. The biomarkers evaluated included serum D-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP), hematocrit, red cell distribution width (RDW), platelet count (Plt), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, prothrombin time, and partial thromboplastin time.


Results
Significant differences in D-dimer, CRP, RDW, MPV, PLR, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio levels, with the highest levels observed in COPD patients and the lowest in healthy controls. In contrast, hematocrit values, platelet counts, prothrombin time, and partial thromboplastin time showed no significant variation among the groups. Partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood demonstrated a positive correlation with D-dimer, CRP, RDW, and MPV, with statistically significant results.


Conclusion
COPD patients, especially those with advanced disease, may experience a pro-coagulant state, which could contribute to complications and worsen disease outcomes.