ABSTRACT
Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] secondary to sulfur mustard gas poisoning, known as mustard lung, is a major late pulmonary complications in chemical warfare patients. Serious comorbidities like dyslipidemia are frequently encountered in COPD. The aim of this study was to measure the serum lipid profile and evaluate the relation of lipid parameters with the severity of airway obstruction in mustard lung patients
Materials and Methods: Thirty-six non-smoker mustard lung patients with no history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia were entered into this cross-sectional study. Control group consisted of 36 healthy non-smoker men were considered in this study. Serum lipid profile was performed in the patients and the controls. Spirometry was done in mustard lung patients
Results: The mean age of the patients was 47 +/- 6.80 SD years. The mean duration of COPD was 18.50 +/- 7.75 SD years. There were statistically significant differences in mean serum triglycerides and total cholesterol levels between patients and controls [P=0.04 and P=0.03, respectively].The mean levels of lipid parameters were not statistically significant different among the 4 stages of COPD severity [P>0.05]
Conclusion: The current study revealed that the serum levels of triglycerides and cholesterol are elevated in mustard lung patients compared with the healthy controls. Since lipid profile abnormalities are considered as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, especial attention to this matter is recommended in mustard lung patients
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Sulfur mustard [SM], a toxic alkylating gas, can cause serious long-term pulmonary complications such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]. Metabolic syndrome [MetS] is one of the important comorbidities of COPD. This study was designed to evaluate the frequency of metabolic syndrome in Iranian chemical warfare patients [CWPs] with COPD
Materials and Methods: Thirty CWPs with a mean age of 46.93 +/- 6.8 were enrolled in this study. The following parameters were studied in: complete pulmonary function tests, health-related quality of life, serum triglycerides [TG], high density lipoprotein [HDL] and fasting blood sugar [FBS] levels. Additionally, 32 COPD patients and 56 healthy persons were considered as control groups who were matched to CWPs
Results: We found a statistically significant difference in the frequency of MetS between the COPD patients and the healthy control group [P=0.04]. Additionally, we observed a statistically significant difference in the mean HDL levels among these groups [P=<0.001]. In the CWPs, the frequency of MetS was significantly decreased in severe to very severe stages [P<0.001]
Conclusion: Our data indicate that metabolic syndrome is frequent in chemical warfare patients, and special attention to this condition in mild to moderate stages is recommended