Association between blood pressure, inflammation and spirometry parameters in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Many systems including the cardiovascular system (ischemic heart diseases, heart failure, and hypertension) may act as comorbidities that can be seen during the course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Comorbidities affect the severity and prognosis of COPD negatively. Nearly 25% of patients with COPD die due to cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between the blood pressure, inflammation, hypoxia, hypercapnia, and the severity of airway obstruction. METHODS: We included 75 COPD patients in the study with 45 control cases. We evaluated age, sex, body mass index, smoking history, C-reactive protein levels, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure Holter monitoring, arterial blood gas, and respiratory function tests of the patient and the control groups. RESULTS: In COPD patients, the night time systolic, diastolic blood pressures and pulse per minute and the mean blood pressures readings were significantly elevated compared to the control group (p < 0.05). In the correlation analysis, night time systolic pressure was associated with all the parameters except forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁%). Diastolic blood pressure was associated with pH and HCO₃ levels. The mean night time, day time pulse pressures and 24-hour pulse per minute values were also associated with all the parameters except FEV₁%. CONCLUSIONS: In this study we found that parameters of systolic and diastolic blood pressures and pulse pressures were significantly elevated in COPD patients compared to the control groups. Blood pressure was associated blood gas parameters and inflammation parameters in COPD patients. This, in turn, may cause understanding of the pathophysiology of COPD and its complications.

risk factors for and prevalence of coronary artery disease in heavy vehicle drivers

To investigate the frequencies of risk factors and the prevalence of coronary heart disease [CAD] in heavy vehicle drivers. This cross-sectional type study was conducted between November 2004 and September 2006 in heavy vehicle male drivers registered with the Sivas Professional Drivers Association, Sivas, Turkey. From 400 individuals, 200 heavy vehicle male drivers, and 200 control subjects, 90% were reached for the sample. A questionnaire including sociodemographic specifications, body mass index [BMI], and risk factors for CHD was performed and some blood and physiologic parameters such as lipid profiles, fasting glucose level, resting ECG, were checked in all individuals; if required exercise ECG and angiography was performed. The drivers' weight, body fat mass, triglycerides, very low-density lipoprotein, and BMI means were higher than the control group at a statistically significant level, and their mean high-density lipoprotein level, which is a protective factor for CAD, was lower than the control group at a statistically significant level. In the drivers' group, 9 of the 109 exercise ECGs [8.3%], and in the control group 3 of 61 [4.9%] were evaluated as abnormal. In 5% of the drivers, the exercise test was evaluated as positive and this prevalence was 1.7% in the control group [p=0.081]. A total of 3.3% of the participants had a positive exercise ECG. Periodic health check-ups for heavy vehicle drivers would allow for the diagnosis of heart disease at an early stage and the initiation of necessary treatment. Health education for this group could also have a part in the decrease and elimination of some risk factors for CAD