Objective: Many patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) suffer from acute exacerbation. Acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) is currently known as the most important leading cause of death worldwide. Therefore, recognising beneficial biomarkers in order to detect acute exacerbations promptly is crucial. This study aimed to evaluate the role of haematological and inflammatory parameters in the diagnosis of AECOPD.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 63 patients with AECOPD, during exacerbation and stable period, and on 62 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. Haematological and inflammatory parameters were analysed, and other data were collected. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and mean platelet volume (MPV) in the diagnosis of patients with AECOPD.
Results: The predictive ability of NLR was higher than that of CRP and MPV. The cut-off value of NLR was 2.85, and the sensitivity and specificity for detecting AECOPD were 87% and 70%, respectively (AUC = 0.84, P < 0.001). NLR values positively correlated with the CRP level, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and platelet (PLT) count (r = 0.44, P = 0.001; r = 0.31, P = 0.020; and r = 0.32, P = 0.010, respectively) and negatively correlated with the albumin level and MPV in patients with AECOPD (r = −0.31, P = 0.049 and r = −0.27, P = 0.040).
Conclusion: NLRs and CRP levels were both increased in patients with AECOPD, and they are both available and beneficial markers in the prompt detection of AECOPD. Further studies should be performed to underpin the diagnostic and prognostic values of haematological and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with COPD.
