Factors Influencing Prevalence, C-reactive Protein Levels, and Lymphocyte Counts in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients With Metabolic Syndrome

Background This research examined the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and lymphocyte counts in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) comparing those with metabolic syndrome (MetS) to those without. Methodology This cross-sectional study involved 100 consecutive COPD patients attending the outpatient wards at the Department of Medicine, Index Medical College, over 18 months. MetS was assessed using the International Diabetes Federation's guidelines. Pulmonary function tests such as spirometry were conducted following the European Respiratory Society's procedures, including measurements of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and the FEV1/FVC ratio. The Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease criteria were employed to evaluate COPD severity using post-bronchodilator FEV1. Results Our results indicated no significant differences in demographics, anthropometrics, or pulmonary function tests between COPD patients with MetS and those without. Average age, height, weight, body mass index, and blood pressure readings were similar between the groups, with no significant variations (p > 0.05). However, the total white blood cell count was significantly higher in the MetS group (9,214 ± 3,161.8 cells/µL) compared to the non-MetS group (6,657.8 ± 4,218 cells/µL, p = 0.001). CRP levels were markedly elevated in 90.9% of MetS patients compared to 21.4% of non-MetS patients. Pulmonary function tests showed no significant differences in pre- and post-bronchodilator FEV1 or FEV1/FVC ratios (p > 0.05). Conclusions The study found that individuals with COPD and MetS have elevated levels of CRP, suggesting that this association exacerbates systemic inflammation and metabolic issues. Furthermore, the risk of MetS in COPD patients did not significantly differ between smokers and non-smokers, indicating that MetS can affect all COPD patients regardless of smoking status. Additionally, more than half of the COPD patients had hypertension, a common comorbidity that reflects the oxidative stress and inflammatory processes shared by both conditions.