ABSTRACT

Acute exacerbation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may result in a lot of systemic consequences due to hypoxemia and systemic inflammation. We investigated uric acid levels and uric acid to creatinine ratio in COPD patients developing acute exacerbation.

We included 25 patients who had been admitted with acute exacerbation of COPD according to the GOLD diagnosis and treatment guidelines between May and December 2011. Uric acid and creatinine levels were recorded from blood samples of the patients.

Average uric acid and uric acid to creatinine ratio values were 5.7±2.09 mg/dl and 7.32±3.0 in patients with mild hypoxemia, 6.4±2.1 mg/dl and 7.01±2.9 in those with moderate hypoxemia, and 6.7±2.0 mg/dl and 9.1±1.8 in those with severe hypoxemia, respectively. While no statistically significant correlation was found between uric acid levels and uric acid to creatinine ratio in the three groups (p=0.97, p=0.76, respectively), these values were found to increase along with increasing severity of hypoxemia.

Uric acid levels and the ratio of uric acid to creatinine remained unchanged while severity of hypoxemia increased during acute exacerbations of COPD, however, these values were found to increase with increasing severity of hypoxemia.