Anemia and COPD Outcomes in Former Smokers
Author Information
Author(s): Kunitomo Yukiko, Woo Han, Balasubramanian Aparna, Fawzy Ashraf, Lin Cheng Ting, Raju Sarath, Belz Daniel C, McCormack Meredith C, Koehler Kirsten, Hansel Nadia N, Putcha Nirupama
Primary Institution: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Anemia will be associated with worse COPD morbidity by repeated measures analysis, while development of anemia will be associated with worse COPD disease trajectory.
Conclusion
Longitudinal anemia status trends may be predictive of COPD disease trajectory and are associated with increased morbidity.
Supporting Evidence
- Anemia was associated with higher SGRQ scores.
- Anemia was linked to lower 6-minute walk distance.
- Participants with increasing anemia risk had a faster decline in lung function.
Takeaway
This study found that people with COPD who have anemia tend to feel worse and have more health problems over time.
Methodology
The study used serial hemoglobin measures and clinical outcomes from two clinical studies over a 6-to-9-month period.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on self-reported comorbidities.
Limitations
The study is limited by its single-center design and relatively small sample size.
Participant Demographics
Mean age of participants was 66.5 years, with 41% ever-anemic.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.04 for SGRQ, p=0.02 for 6MWD, p=0.02 for exacerbations
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 0.1,4.8 for SGRQ; 95% CI: -67.7,-7.4 for 6MWD; 95% CI: 1.1,2.8 for exacerbations
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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