The relationship between glycated hemoglobin A1c levels and exacerbation status in the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed in Razi Hospital, Rasht, Iran, between March 2016 and August 2018 on a population of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients (56 as COPD exacerbation group and 56 as COPD stable group). Study variables include age, sex, occupation, body mass index (BMI), cigarette consumption, duration of COPD, annual hospitalization, dyspnea, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), FEV1, and FEV1/FVC indices. RESULT: The mean age of the participants was 63.92 ± 10.75 years. There was a significant difference in the hospitalization between the patients with both exacerbation and normal state of COPD (P ≤ 0.001). HbA1c in the patients with exacerbation of COPD was significantly higher than stable status (P = 0.001). Logistic regression showed that HbA1c levels and hospitalization were predictors of exacerbation of COPD. HbA1c levels were statistically significant in terms of hospitalization in patients with COPD exacerbation. There was a significant difference between the HbA1c levels and MMRC in patients with COPD. The percentage of HbA1c was associated with exacerbation of COPD and HbA1c is a good predictor of disease severity in patients with COPD. It also shows that patients with COPD exacerbation and severe COPD are at the higher risk of hyperglycemia.