title: Co-morbidities in 99 COPD patients: A case series from Syria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the most frequent co-morbidities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 99 patients, including 72 males and 67 smokers, presented to our University Hospital in Lattakia, Syria in 2012, with a mean age of 63 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, there were 61% hypertension, 37% ischemic heart disease, 25% diabetes, 45% anemia, and 47% pulmonary hypertension. Other diseases were less significant. Patients who had more severe Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stage had a greater number of co-morbidities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We recommend as a general practice, to assess cardiac co-morbidities, hypertension, and other co-morbidities in all COPD patients and vice versa. We also recommend performing spirometry in smokers complaining of chronic cough, sputum, or dyspnea for early diagnosis of COPD.
authors.affiliation: National Center for Research on Chronic Respiratory Diseases, Tishreen University, Tishreen Hospital, Lattakia, Syria; Department of Internal Medicine, Syrian Private University, Damascus, Syria.
authors.forename: Yousser
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mohammad
authors.affiliation: National Center for Research on Chronic Respiratory Diseases, Tishreen University, Tishreen Hospital, Lattakia, Syria.
authors.forename: Fatima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yassine
authors.affiliation: National Center for Research on Chronic Respiratory Diseases, Tishreen University, Tishreen Hospital, Lattakia, Syria.
authors.forename: Mais
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khadouj
keywords: FEV1; chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases; co-morbidities; inflammation; oxidative stress; smoking