An impact of cardiovascular comorbidity on course and prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Comorbidity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is currently important and not fully investigated. The aim of this study was to analyze clinical signs, lung function, the central and the intracardiac hemodynamics, and predictors of outcome in patients with comorbidity of COPD and CVD. Methods. The study involved 118 patients with stage 3 to 4 COPD (GOLD, 2016) including 111 men and 7 women. The mean age was 59.5 ± 0.63 years, the smoking history was 23.1 ± 0.93 pack-years, and body mass index (BMI) was 27.2 ± 9.06 kg/m2. The patients were allocated into one of three groups: COPD group (n = 37), COPD + coronary heart disease (CHD) group (stable angina functional class (FC) II to III, n = 45), and COPD + hypertension (H) group, n = 36). Results. Patients with COPD and CVD were older, had higher smoking history and higher BMI. Clinical signs of COPD were more prominent and the lung function was lower in COPD patients with CVD comorbidity. Cardiac remodeling and right and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction were more severe in the groups with comorbidity. The 3-year survival in the groups with comorbidity clearly tended to be lower. Age, smoking history, the heart beat rate, the systolic blood pressure, the distance in 6-minute walking test, and the serum C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels were independent predictors of mortality in both COPD + CHD and COPD + H groups. Conclusion. The comorbidity of COPD + CHD and COPD + H is characterized by more severe clinical signs and symptoms of COPD, and decreased physical tolerance. Hypoxemia, heart remodeling, left and right ventricular diastolic dysfunction, and higher mortality risk were seen in both groups with comorbidity.