Anemia in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Treatment Outcomes in a Northern Indian Cohort

Abstract

Background: Anemia is a common comorbidity in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), exacerbating symptoms and worsening outcomes. This study investigates the prevalence, characteristics, and impact of anemia in COPD patients in a tertiary care hospital in northern India.

Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted over 18 months, enrolling 150 COPD patients aged 40–70 years, diagnosed per GOLD criteria (FEV1/FVC < 0.7). Patients with acute exacerbations or other chronic diseases were excluded. Data on demographics, anthropometrics, spirometry, hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and anemia type (ACD, IDA, mixed) were collected. Iron supplementation effects were assessed. Statistical analysis used ANOVA and chi-square tests (p<0.05 for significance).

Results: Of 150 patients, 29 (19.33%) were anemic, with 17 females (58.62%) and 12 males (41.37%). Anemia was significantly associated with mild COPD (79.31%, p=0.022) but absent in severe cases. No significant correlation was found between anemia types and FEV1 (p=0.757). Severe COPD patients had lower BMI (17.04) compared to mild (23.96) and moderate (22.16) groups (p<0.001). Iron supplementation significantly improved hemoglobin (<9.0 to <11.0 g/dL) and serum ferritin (76.03 to 92.03 ng/mL, p<0.0001).

Conclusion: Anemia affects nearly one-fifth of COPD patients, predominantly females, and is linked to mild COPD. Iron supplementation is effective, highlighting the need for routine anemia screening in COPD management to improve outcomes in resource-limited settings.