Evaluation of erythropoietin hormone in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients during exacerbation and after remission

Abstract

Introduction: It has long been known that COPD causes polycythemia secondary to erythrocytosis caused by hypoxia present in advanced cases of COPD. However, it was shown in several studies that some COPD patients had anemia rather than erythrocytosis Aim: The aim of this work was to assess the changes in erythropoietin in COPD patients during exacerbation and after remission. Subjects and methods: This work was done on 50 subjects, Group 1:40 COPD patients plus Group I 1: 10 age matched apparently healthy control subjects. For all history taking, full clinical exam, PFTs (spirometry), EPO hormone measurement on human serum by ELIZA (EPO hormone was measured during exacerbation and after remission), oxygen saturation and routine labs (CBC, Liver and Renal function) were performed. Results: Level of erythropoietin hormone was significantly higher in COPD patients with mean (21.92 ± 6.64 mU/ml) than control with mean (9.42 ± 1.5 mU/ml) and higher during remission (24.21 ± 6.58 mU/ml) than during exacerbation (21.92 ± 6.64 mU/ml), also was significantly higher during remission in grade (II, III) (25.68 ± 2.57, 33.71 ± 2.16 mU/ml) than grade (I, IV) (16.04 ± 0.89, 19.39 ± 1.28 mU/ml) COPD patients respectively. Erythropoietin hormone level was significantly higher in anemic than non anemic COPD patients. It was (27.94 ± 6.33 mU/ml) (20.84 ± 4.83 mU/ml) respectively, and it was significantly inversely related to oxygen saturation & both of HB and Hct in COPD patients. Conclusion: EPO hormone level was significantly higher in grade (II, III) than grade (I, IV) COPD patients (p = 0.005), and also COPD with anemia was higher in stage (II, III) than stage (I, IV), EPO hormone level significantly higher in anemic than non anemic COPD patients and was significantly higher (p = 0.005) during remission than during exacerbation.