Correlation between CAT score, inflammatory markers and pulmonary function tests in patient with acute exacerbation of COPD

The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Assessment Test (CAT) is an eight-item questionnaire designed to assess and quantify the impact of COPD symptoms on health status. COPD exacerbations impair quality of life and are characterized by worsening respiratory symptoms from the stable state. We hypothesized that CAT scores at exacerbation relate to exacerbation severity as measured by lung function impairment, we measured CRP and plasma fibrinogen to quantify their importance in assessing exacerbation severity.Aim of the work: To assess the correlation between CAT score & both systemic inflammatory markers as CRP and Fibrinogen and spirometry in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD.Methods: Fifty-two COPD patients at acute exacerbation had PFTs, completed the CAT score, then CRP and plasma fibrinogen levels were measured in the same day the patient completed the test.Results: There was a statistically significant negative correlation between CAT score results and BMI, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, PEF and FEF50 (p = 0.032, <0.001, 0.000, 0.009 and 0.000 respectively) and there was a statistically significant positive correlation between CAT score and smoking index (p = 0.000) and there was no statistically significant correlation between CAT score results and CRP or plasma fibrinogen (p = 0.18, 0.249 respectively).Conclusions: CAT score provides a reliable score of exacerbation severity as determined by lung functions but CRP and plasma fibrinogen are nonspecific markers for assessment of exacerbation severity