TOPLINE:
C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and eosinophil-to-platelet ratio (EPR) are significant independent predictors of adverse events in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) hospitalized with acute exacerbations.
METHODOLOGY:
- In a prospective, observational study at a single center, the researchers examined clinical and lab data including serum CRP levels, EPR, sarcopenia, lung function, nutrition, and frailty.
- The study population included 200 adults older than 40 years with COPD who were hospitalized for acute exacerbations; 50 experienced adverse events.
TAKEAWAY:
- Both elevated CRP and low EPR were significant predictors of adverse events in adjusted analysis in patients with COPD exacerbations (area under the curve, 0.71 and 0.76, respectively).
- In a multivariate analysis, EPR and CRP, as well as sarcopenia, were significantly associated with adverse events (adjusted odds ratios, 2.33, 2.09, and 1.97, respectively).
- COPD symptom scores, frailty, and malnutrition showed predictive value in bivariate but not multivariate analysis.
IN PRACTICE:
“Screening for these biomarkers [EPR and CRP] on admission could help identify high-risk patients who need more aggressive monitoring and treatment,” the researchers wrote in their discussion.
SOURCE:
The lead author on the study was Rohankumar Gandhi, MD, of Guru Gobind Singh Government Hospital, Jamnagar, India. The study was published online in Cureus.
LIMITATIONS:
The use of data from a single center, lack of information on nutritional interventions and counseling, and lack of data on outpatient outcomes limited the study findings.
DISCLOSURES:
The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.