RESUMO
Serum C-Reactive Protein [CRP] is increased in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]. It is used as a predictive factor for extra-pulmonary complications determining the prognosis of disease. It has not yet been defined whether this increase is due to the disease itself or is accompanied by ischemic heart disease and cigarette smoking. Thus, we decided to measure the serum CRP level in COPD patients without ischemic heart disease and also in healthy subjects by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] and then we evaluated its relation with cigarette smoking, severity of dyspnea, exacerbation episodes, severity of disease and use of inhaled steroids. A comparative-descriptive study was performed on 45 stable COPD patients in 2006. All understudy patients were males. The exclusion criteria included ischemic heart disease and other causes of CRP increase. The control group consisted of 45 healthy men. The samples were selected consecutively. The serum CRP was measured by ELISA [high sensitive]. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 13. Mann-Whitney test showed significant difference between serum CRP levels of COPD patients without ischemic heart disease [52.49 ng/ml] and healthy subjects [28.51 ng/ml] [p=0.01]. There was a significant difference between the serum CRP level and the severity of dyspnea in COPD patients [p=0.04]. No significant difference was detected between CRP level and the severity of disease, exacerbation episodes and use of inhaled steroids. Moreover, there was no significant difference between serum CRP and cigarette smoking in COPD patients and healthy subjects. The results showed that COPD itself can increase the serum CRP without ischemic heart disease and cigarette smoking. Since CRP is known as a systemic inflammatory marker and a major factor causing extrapulmonary complications, we hope this marker be applied for follow-up of patients, evaluation of treatment methods and their efficacy