Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and anemia: clinical manifestations and therapeutic strategy

Abstract

To study gender characteristics of anemia in patients with COPD, to increase the effectiveness of treatment through the use of pharmacological agents erythropoietin and enteral iron. The paper presents clinical data on 74 patients with stage II/III COPD and anemia along with results of the treatment of 49 patients who received standard therapy in addition to epoetin and Sorbiferdurules. Patients with COPD much more frequently presented with iron deficiency anemia (IDA): 63 patients (85.1%) dominated by women (39 or 61.9% ) with men accounting only for 24 or 38.1% of the total. 11 patients (14.9%) had normochromic normocytic anemia with the parameters of anemia of chronic disease. The incidence of IDA in both groups correlated with age; it was largely a moderately severe condition that much more frequently occurred in women (24 out of 39 patients - 61,5%) than in men in whom the mild form of iron deficiency prevailed (14 of 24 patients - 58,3%). The overall prevalence of anemia concomitant with COPD was estimated at 26.5%. It was documented in44 women (33.7%), i.e. in each third patient. It occurred less frequently in men (30 or 20,7%). The presence of anemia deteriorates conditions of the patients, especially female ones, who more often suffer from shortness of breath, impaired general health status , fatigue, and depression; moreover, they more frequently need hospitalization. Correction of anemia with erythropoietin and iron preparations for the internal use can improve physical endurance of the patients, reduce cough intensity and shortness of breath, promote positive dynamics of physical tolerance for a prolonged period after the completion of antianemic therapy.