Association of Serum Uric Acid with Disease Severity in Hospitalized Patients with Acute Exacerbation of COPD in Bangladesh

Open Access

Abstract

Background: Acute Exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Serum uric acid (SUA) has emerged as a potential biomarker for oxidative stress and disease severity. Aim of the study: To characterize the clinical and epidemiological profile of hospitalized AECOPD patients. Methods & Materials: This observational study was conducted at a tertiary care chest hospital in Bangladesh from July 2019 to June 2020. Ninety-six patients admitted with AECOPD were enrolled via purposive sampling and stratified into two groups based on admission SUA levels: Group A (Low SUA, <6.9 mg/dL; n=48) and Group B (High SUA, ≥6.9 mg/dL; n=48). Data on socio-demographics, clinical history, and GOLD stage were collected. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Results: The mean age of participants was 55.18 (±8.52) years, with a majority being male, from rural areas, and of lower-middle socioeconomic status. Most were current or ex-smokers (69.79%). No significant differences were found in these baseline characteristics between the two SUA groups. However, a significantly higher proportion of patients in the high SUA group had severe/very severe COPD (83.33% vs. 22.92%, p<0.001) and experienced acute respiratory failure (64.58% vs. 22.92%, p=0.001). Median SUA levels showed a strong positive correlation with worsening GOLD stage (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Elevated serum uric acid on admission is significantly associated with more severe airflow limitation and a higher incidence of acute respiratory failure in hospitalized AECOPD patients, suggesting its utility as a prognostic biomarker in this population.