Abstract
Aims:
To examine relationships between markers of systemic inflammation and functional status in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Methods:
41 COPD patients were stratified using the Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnoea scale. Six-minute walking distance (6MWD), Quadriceps (% body weight) (QBW), St George's Hospital Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), London Chest Activity of Daily Living Scale (LCADL), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL6), tumour necrosis factor ´, and neopterin were measured. Relationships between variables and differences in inflammatory markers between MRC categories were tested.
Results:
Inflammation increased with MRC grade and was significantly different across grades; CRP (p=0.002) and IL6 (p=0.04). Relationships were evident between CRP, 6MWD, LCADL and SGRQ, r=-0.47, 0.50, 0.43 (all p<0.01) respectively, and between IL6, QBW and LCADL, rho=−0.36, 0.51 (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
Measures of systemic inflammation, and in particular CRP, may prove to be useful markers in the assessment of COPD severity in primary care.
Keywords: COPD, CRP, inflammatory markers, exercise, disability, breathlessness
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Footnotes
Rachel Garrod has worked as a consultant for GSK and Boehhnger/Pfizer, and gives talks for both companies. She has received funding from GSK up to $60,000
G Hagan is employed by GSK
All other authors have no conflicts of interest