Prognosis Factors in Patients with Copd and Atrial Fibrillation – Mini Review

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are common pathologies in the elderly patient. The simultaneous occurrence of the two conditions influences the quality of life and increases the rate of exacerbations. About two-thirds of patients with atrial fibrillation have dyspnea. Severe dyspnea in the patient with COPD and AF can be difficult to manage, suggesting an exacerbation of the disease, the onset of atrial fibrillation or even a symptom of associated comorbidities, the most common of which being heart failure.

The risk of developing AF in COPD increases with the severity of airflow obstruction. Factors such as smoking, aging, dyslipidemia, the presence of diabetes, hypertension or heart failure influence the prognosis of patients with COPD and AF. Furthermore, oxidative stress, hypoxia, systemic inflammation or immunological changes decrease the survival rate and may favor the recurrence of AF. In the evolution of concomitant COPD- FA cases, proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL- 8) intervene.

This paper aims at analyzing data related to the factors that would influence the prognosis of patients with COPD and AF.