Anemia in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Prevalence, pathogenesis, and potential impact

• Main Authors: Malay Sarkar, Puja Negi Rajta, Jasmin Khatana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2015-01-01
• Series: Lung India
• Subjects: Anemia of chronic disease; anemia; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Online Access: http://www.lungindia.com/article.asp?issn=0970-2113;year=2015;volume=32;issue=2;spage=142;epage=151;aulast=Sarkar

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common preventable and treatable lifestyle-related disease with high global prevalence. COPD is associated with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Comorbidities are important events in the natural history of the disease and have a negative effect on the morbidity and mortality of COPD patients. Cardiac diseases, lung cancer, osteoporosis, and depression are common comorbidities reported for COPD. Recently, anemia has been recognized as a frequent comorbidity in COPD patients. The prevalence of anemia in patients with COPD varies from 7.5% to 33%. Anemia of chronic disease (ACD) is probably the most common type of anemia associated with COPD. ACD is driven by COPD-mediated systemic inflammation. Anemia in COPD is associated with greater healthcare resource utilization, impaired quality of life, decreased survival, and a greater likelihood of hospitalization. We need large prospective studies to discern the association between anemia and COPD.