Evaluating serum C-reactive protein level in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – A cross-sectional study

Abstract Patients with the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have ongoing systemic inflammation, which can be assessed by measuring serum  C- reactive protein. Objective: To explore whether CRP could be used as an independent predictor of disease outcome in COPD. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 COPD patients attending Respiratory Medicine outpatient services in the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal from January 2015 to September 2016. Patients aged 18-67 were included in the study after obtaining Ethical approval from the Research Ethics Board, RIMS, Imphal. Computerized Spirometer Helios 401 was the instrument used to measure lung volumes and capacities. BeneSpheraTM CRP Latex Slide test kit was used to estimate serum c-reactive protein. Results and observation: The present study was conducted on fifty COPD patients in which serum CRP level showed positive correlation with COPD (p=0.002) but serum CRP level with spirometric parameters showed significant negative correlation;FEV1 (r=-0.451, p=0.001), FEV1/FVC (r=-0.617, p<0.001) and PEFR (r=-0.398, p=0.004). Conclusion: In our study, we found an association between serum CRP level and severity of COPD and Plasma CRP may be used as a marker of prognosis in COPD as the small increase is associated with poorer prognosis in COPD. Keywords: CRP; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); Imphal