Features of the clinical course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and quality of life in patients with coexisting metabolic syndrome

Aim. To study the clinical course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients with metabolic syndrome and analyze the degree of influence of the metabolic syndrome components on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and patients’ quality of life.

Methods. 100 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were examined: 30 patients without metabolic syndrome (the first group) and 70 patients with metabolic syndrome (the second group). Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, body mass index, waist circumference), laboratory tests (levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, low- and high-density lipoproteins, fasting blood glucose, the oral glucose tolerance test), physical examination, quality of life assessment were performed.

Results.Patients of the second group had statistically significant differences in the studied parameters in comparison with the first group. The number of exacerbations, calls to ambulance service, hospital admissions were 1.4; 1.3 and 1.5 times higher, respectively. Dyspnea intensity, cough and sputum score were 1.6; 1.7 and 1.6 times higher respectively as compared with the first group (p

Conclusion. Metabolic syndrome is associated with a more severe course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which results in a higher frequency of exacerbations, hospital admissions, more severe clinical manifestations, greater influence of dyspnea on the physical activity limitation of patients, more severe airflow obstruction, low exercise tolerance with worse performance of everyday activities, emotional perception of the disease, worse psychosocial adaptation of patients.