Abstract
INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:
To evaluate the left ventricular (LV) function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in absence of known LV disease by echocardiography.
METHODS:
The study was an observational cross sectional study including 50 cases of stable COPD patients. Confirmation of cases for COPD were done by GOLD criteria and staged accordingly. Known cases of LV disease diagnosed on the basis of history, clinical findings, electrocardiography and other investigations were excluded from the study. All cases were subjected to 2D echocardiography for LV evaluation.
RESULTS:
LV diastolic dysfunction was noted in 84% cases and both systolic and diastolic dysfunction was recorded in 2% case. We found statistically significant positive correlation of the LV diastolic dysfunction with the age of the patients, duration of symptoms and stage of diseases. But we did not find any significant co-relation between LV dysfunction with nature of symptoms and chest x-ray findings.
CONCLUSIONS:
We concluded that there was a definite association between LV diastolic dysfunction and COPD even if the known causes of LV disease were excluded. We suggested that left ventricular function should be evaluated in COPD patients not responding to usual management even in absent of clinical evidence of LV disease.
- © 2012 ERS
