Efficacy of spirometry in COPD patients with pulmonary hypertension: A study in a tertiary care unit

Abstract

Therapy for COPD patients, in particular those with advanced stage, is generally disappointing and frustrating for both the doctors and patient. Of the symptoms, dyspnea is an important and debilitating symptom for which most patient with COPD seek medical attention. For the evaluation of lung function test for pulmonary hypertension, arterial PO2 and FEV1 seem to be most reliable.COPD was diagnosed as per GOLD criteria. Baseline FEV was measured by spirometer. The patient then received two puffs of salbutamol. 15 minutes later 3-5 forced expiratory maneuver was repeated and the best FEV was recorded. Symptoms Score, and dyspnea grade were correlated with FEV both pre and post bronchodilator. The mean age of the 52 patients was 60±10.6 Years. The mean symptom score was 4.07 with SD : ± 0.81. 7.69% patients were in MRC dyspnea scale grade 1, 21.15% patients had grade 2 dyspnea, 25% patients had grade 3 dyspnea, 40.38% patients had grade 4 dyspnea and 5.76% patients had dyspnea of grade 5. There was a strong significance in the correlation of Symptom scale with Pre bronchodilator % predicted FEVand with post bronchodilator % predicted FEVThere was a high correlation between dyspnea and pulmonary hypertension measured by percentage predictive value. Spirometry was found to be very useful for the diagnosis and staging of COPD. This could be used in primary diagnosis of patients with COPD.