English

Abstract

BACKGROUND Pulmonary hypertension (PH) and heart failure are common comorbidities in 20 – 30 % of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with acute exacerbation. Similarities in signs and symptoms and lack of objective measures to stratify them at emergency department makes the management difficult. Echocardiography though useful requires specialised training. Hence, B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) is a simple test that can prognosticate the severity and can influence management in such patients. The purpose of the study was to estimate the significance of BNP during acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) as an important marker of severity and to study its correlation with duration of hospital stay, place and mode of management in patients with severe and life-threatening exacerbation of COPD. METHODS This is a prospective longitudinal observational study conducted on 50 patients of severe and life-threatening COPD exacerbation admitted to General Medicine department of HSK hospital, Bagalkot and their outcomes were noted based on the BNP levels. RESULTS The study showed higher levels of BNP in patients admitted to ICU as compared to emergency ward (P = 0.001). Greater values among those on invasive mechanical ventilation vs. non-invasive ventilation (NIV). There was a positive correlation and statistical significance of BNP values with arterial blood gases (ABG) parameters like pulmonary hypertension (PH), partial pressure of carbondi-oxide (PaCO2), partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), echo parameters like right ventricle (RV) diameter and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) and duration of hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS BNP is a simple, low cost and easily available blood test that can prognosticate oxygen requirement, mode of ventilation, place of management and can grade and reflect the severity in acute exacerbation of COPD. KEYWORDS AECOPD, BNP, Prognostic Marker, Outcome