Body mass index and its relation to GOLD stage in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

BackgroundLow body mass index (BMI) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was found to be more prevalent in severe stages and was associated with poor prognosis and poor survival.AimTo find out the relation between BMI and GOLD stage (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) of COPD patients.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional, observational study among 154 patients of COPD, attending the chest medicine department in our medical college during the period from January 2014 to November 2015. We classify the severity of obstruction in COPD patients according to GOLD staging through spirometry. BMI of all the patients was measured. Correlation between BMI and severity of obstruction (post bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1st second (FEV1)% predicted) in COPD patients was determined.ResultsThe mean age of all of the patients was 57.18 (SD ± 10.7) years. There were 115 (74.4%) males and 39 (25.3%) females. The COPD patients were classified by their post-bronchodilator FEV1% predicted in four stages according to GOLD staging. Among 154 study population, 3 (1.9%) patients were in stage 1, 54 (35.1%) in stage 2, 55 (35.7%) in stage 3, and 42 (27.3%) in stage 4. Applying the Pearson correlation test we found that BMI and post FEV1% predicted were positively correlated (R = 0.295, P < 0.05). By applying the same test on GOLD stage and BMI, they were found to be negatively correlated (R = −0.3, P < 0.05). Now by applying a one-way ANOVA, we found that BMI of the patients was decreasing with severity of the disease (GOLD) and it was statistically significant (F = 4.116, P < 0.05).ConclusionThere was positive correlation between severity of airway obstruction and BMI in COPD patients.