Correlation between FEV1% Predicted and Blood Eosinophils in Patients with Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations are still the leading causes of mortality. Eosinophil counts were recommended in assessing the risk of exacerbations. This additional examination was preferred rather than the pulmonary function test (PFT), which was considered less precise and had vast differences. Therefore, an analysis of the correlation between the FEV1% predicted and blood eosinophil counts were needed as a reference in the diagnosis of COPD exacerbation. This study aimed to determine the correlation between FEV1% predicted and blood eosinophils counts in patients with COPD exacerbations.Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study by analyzing medical records of patients with COPD exacerbations at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital, Surabaya, from 2017 to 2018.Results: The characteristics of patients with exacerbations of COPD consisted of 91.7% male patients. Most of them were in the age group of 61-70 years old, 58.3% were in the private sector, 75% had a high school diploma, and 41.7% had normal body mass index (BMI). The percentage of the FEV1% predicted is directly proportional to the percentage of blood eosinophils with weak and statistically insignificant strength.Conclusion: The FEV1% predicted and blood eosinophil counts had a very weak correlation and statistically insignificant strength. Thus, it could not be used as a reference for diagnosis using one of the variables. Further research is needed with sputum eosinophils and biopsy as consideration for more accurate results.