Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may be one of the terminal end points of metabolic syndrome

Abstract

Objective: We tried to understand presence of any effect of excess weight on respiratory system by means of excessive adipose tissue functioning as an endocrine organ and causing a pulmonary inflammation.

Methodology: Mild (stage 1), moderate (stage 2), and severe (stage 3 and 4) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients were detected, and compared according to the metabolic parameters in between.

Results: There were 145, 56, and 34 patients in the mild, moderate, and severe COPD groups, respectively. The mean age increased gradually (52.4, 56.4, and 60.0 years) from the mild towards the severe COPD groups, respectively (p < 0.05 nearly in all steps). Similarly, the mean pack-years increased gradually and significantly (26.7, 34.8, and 36.8 pack-years) in the same direction (p < 0.05 nearly in all steps). Parallel to them, the mean body mass index increased up to the moderate COPD cases (28.2 versus 29.6 kg/m2, p= 0.039), and then decreased significantly (29.6 versus 26.8 kg/m2, p=0.006).

Conclusion: The metabolic syndrome includes some reversible indicators such as overweight, hyperbetalipoproteinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, dyslipidemia, impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, and white coat hypertension for the development of terminal diseases including obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, peripheral artery disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke. In our opinion, COPD may be one of the terminal end points of the syndrome.