title: Prevalence of anaemia associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Study of associated variables.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anaemia is one of the extrapulmonary manifestations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Its real prevalence, physiopathology and clinical repercussion are unknown. The objectives of our study were: to determine the prevalence of anaemia in patients with stable COPD not attributable to other causes and to establish the relationship of anaemia with clinical, prognostic and inflammatory markers with an important role in COPD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included stable COPD patients with no other known causes of anaemia. The following tests were carried out: respiratory function tests; serum determination of erythropoietin and inflammatory markers: high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), fibrinogen, interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 8 (IL-8) and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α). Body mass index (BMI), Charlson and BODE indices, the number of exacerbations in the previous year, dyspnoea and quality of life were also calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and thirty patients were included. Anaemia prevalence was 6.2%. Mean haemoglobin value in anaemic patients was 11.9±0.95g/dL. Patients with anaemia had a lower BMI (P=.03), higher Charlson index (P=.002), more elevated erythropoietin levels (P=.016), a tendency to present a lower FEV1% value (P=.08) and significantly lower IL-6 values when compared to non-anaemic patients (P=.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our series, the anaemia associated with COPD was less prevalent than that published in the literature to date, and was related to certain clinical and inflammatory markers.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Universitario Quirón Madrid, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, España. lacomeche.mad@quiron.es
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Comeche Casanova
authors.forename: Jose María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Echave-Sustaeta
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García Luján
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Albarrán Lozano
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alonso González
authors.forename: María Jesús
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Llorente Alonso
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D006454:Hemoglobins; D014168:Transferrin; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron
keywords: Anaemia; Anemia; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica; Eritropoyetina; Erythropoietin; Interleucinas; Interleukin; Prevalence; Prevalencia