The incidence of polyneuropthy and its relation with disease parameters in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Year 2019, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 77 - 82, 04.01.2019

Nalan Ogan , Refah Sayın , Ayşe Baha , Evrim Eylem Akpınar Meral Gülhan

https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.367066

Abstract

Objective: Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is accompanied by several concomitant
conditions due to its systemic effects. Hypoxia and oxidative stress associated
with COPD are also believed to contribute to the disease course through the
effects of several inflammatory mediators. Major causative agents causing of peripheral
neuropathy are age, hypoxia, duration and severity of COPD, hypercapnia and
smoking. The present study aimed to investigate the incidence of polyneuropathy
and its relation with disease parameters in COPD patients.

Methods: Of a total
number of 45 patients who had been followed up between January 1, 2015 and
December 31, 2016 with a diagnosis of COPD at Ufuk University School of
Medicine were enrolled retrospectively. All
patients underwent electroneuromyography, arterial blood gas measurements and
pulmonary function tests. Patients were divided as those with or without
neuropathy, and factors contributing to the development of neuropathy were
investigated based on clinical and laboratory findings.

Results: Eleven (24.4%) patients
were women and 34 (74.6%) were men, and the mean age was
73.2 years. Mean PaO₂ was 58.2 mmHg, pCO₂ was 41.2 mmHg,
and FEV1 was 45.3%. Neuropathy was diagnosed in twenty (44.4%)
patients. Significant
differences were found in pO₂, pCO₂, SO₂,
mMRC, smoking status and number of exacerbations per year (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Patients who experience
frequent exacerbations and those with hypoxemia or hypercapnia as demonstrated
should be taken into more careful clinical assessments with respect to polyneuropathy. 

Keywords

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, neuropathy, hypoxemia, hypercapnia, modified Medical Research Council

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