%0 Journal Article %A Laura Caram %A Cristiane Naves %A Silméia Zanati %A Suzana Tanni %A Liana Coelho %A Renata Ferrari %A Irma Godoy %T Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities in COPD patients according to disease severity %D 2011 %J European Respiratory Journal %P p1223 %V 38 %N Suppl 55 %X Epidemiological studies show high prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in COPD patients; however few studies have assessed the prevalence of cardiac abnormalities in different stages of COPD. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of electrocardiographic and echocardiographic changes in 50 mild/very severe COPD patients (62% male gender, age= 67±9 years, FEV1= 56±23%). All individuals underwent to medical history and physical examination, electrocardiographic and Doppler echocardiography evaluations. Changes suggestive of ischemic heart disease occurred in 10% and mild left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in 88% independently of COPD stage. Mild/moderate COPD patients showed higher prevalence of anormalities in segmental contractility (p=0.01), while severe/very severe COPD patients showed higher prevalence of right ventricular overload (p=0.01) and increased right heart chambers (p=0.001). Age, male gender, systemic arterial blood pressure, C-reactive protein and BODE index were included in a multiple linear or logistic regression analysis with the left ventricular diastolic diameter/the size left atrium as dependent variables. Male gender and the BODE index were selected as predictors of left ventricular diastolic diameter (R2=0.12; p=0.03 and p=0.01, respectively); systemic arterial blood pressure was the only variable selected as predictor of enlarged left atrium (OR=3.85 (1.04 – 14.27); p=0.04). In conclusion, patients with COPD have high prevalence of ecocardiographic subclinical cardiac abnormalities, regardless of disease severity. Gender and the COPD severity are associated to cardiac structural changes.Research supported by FAPESP (2010/10312-1) %U