PREVALENCE OF DYSELECTROLYTEMIA IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE EXACERBATION OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD)

DR.YALAMANCHILI KAVYA; Dr. Koneru Kalyani Sri; Dr.Bokam Bhanu Rekha; Dr. V.M.Kiran Ogirala

Volume : X, Issue : II, February - 2020

PREVALENCE OF DYSELECTROLYTEMIA IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE EXACERBATION OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD)

Dr. Yalamanchili Kavya, Dr. Koneru Kalyani Sri, Dr. Bokam Bhanu Rekha, Dr. V. M. Kiran Ogirala

Abstract :

INTRODUCTION: With ever increasing industrialization and smoking, the prevalence of COPD is increasing where exacerbations are the most common cause of hospitalization among COPD patients with high socioeconomic burden. These patients are predisposed to electrolyte imbalances which in turn can cause respiratory muscle weakness, cardiac arrhythmias leading to a significantly poor outcome among them. Moreover, the prevalence of dyselectrolytemia and its impact on morbidity & mortality in such patients has not yet been established. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: The aim is to study the prevalence of dyselectrolytemia in patients with acute exacerbations of COPD requiring hospitalization. MATERIALS & METHODS: This prospective study included 66 patients of acute exacerbation of COPD admitted in the department of pulmonary medicine and 60 age–sex matched healthy controls. Blood samples from all the subjects are estimated for serum electrolytes like sodium and potassium in auto analyzer. OBSERVATION AND CONCLUSION: In our study, the prevalence of hyponatremia and hypokalemia among patients with acute exacerbation are 30.3% and 12.12% respectively. We also observed that, there is a decrease in the mean serum levels of sodium and potassium among cases (133.9+2.83 and 3.42+0.35) when compared to controls (140.25+1.58 and 4.06+0.09) which is statistically significant (p<0.01). Electrolytes may get deranged in COPD exacerbation and can be taken as a predictive marker for bad clinical course, warranting prompt identification and correction. Hence, routine screening of serum electrolyte abnormalities and correction of hyponatremia and hypokalemia may actually improve the outcomes in exacerbations.