Comparison of serum CRP levels in healthy controls and different stages of COPD

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developing and developed countries. Objective: To compare the serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in healthy controls and patients with COPD. Materials and Methods: Serum CRP levels were evaluated in 100 healthy controls and 100 patients with COPD. Serum CRP levels were estimated and Pulmonary function tests were done in controls and patients with COPD. Results were drawn and analyzed using appropriate statistical tests. Result: In this study, values of CRP in patients with COPD and healthy control subjects were estimated and compared. When these values of mean serum CRP levels in control subjects were compared with those of total patients with COPD using unpaired t-test, it showed statistically highly significant difference with P < 0.001. A highly significant difference between mean CRP levels in stages III and IV was observed. Highly significant difference between mean CRP levels in healthy controls and patients of all stages with COPD individually was observed. Correlation test was applied, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient was calculated between serum CRP levels and predicted FEV1% (forced expiratory volume in 1 s expressed as percentage) showing a negative correlation with a value of -0.564 (between 0 and -1). Conclusion: There was a significant difference in the mean serum CRP levels between patients with COPD and healthy control subjects, as the mean serum CRP level was higher in patients with COPD and the difference was statistically highly significant. There was increase in CRP level with the increase in severity of the disease in different stages (P < 0.001). There was a significant difference between the severity of dyspnea (FEV1% predicted) and the level of CRP (P = 0.001).