A study of clinical and echocardiographic profile of patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease helping in early diagnosis of Cor pulmonale

COPD is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Cor pulmonale is a strong predictor of death in COPD. Early diagnosis of cor pulmonale in COPD plays a vital role. The present study was undertaken to make an early diagnosis of cor pulmonale in COPD and to correlate clinically the findings of echocardiography in presence or absence of pulmonary hypertension. One hundred patients with mild to moderate COPD who attended chest clinic of JNMC Hospital, AMU, Aligarh, were taken up for the study. A detailed history and investigations were carried out including X-ray Chest, spirometry, echocardiography etc.Out of the 100 patients, 49 had mild COPD; 51 had moderate COPD; 45 had RVH with normal PAP; 35 had RVH, TR, PR and mild PAH; and 20 had moderate PAH. On applying Chi square test, correlations between RVH and severity of COPD, between TR, PR and PFT and between PAH and PFT were found to be significant. A significant correlation was also found between RVH, TR, PR on echo and severity of COPD. A significant correlation was also found between severity of COPD and pulmonary artery hypertension on echocardiography. It was seen in the current study, that cor pulmonale is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients of COPD and a correlation was found between various echocardiographic parameters and severity of COPD, making it evident that echocardiography is an important and useful tool in detecting cor pulmonale early, before full clinical signs develop.