The Relation between Lymphopenia and Mortality Rate in Elderly COPD Patients Hameed Rafid Hadi* Ministry of Public Health, Maysan Health Department Maysan governorate, Iraq *Corresponding author: Rafid Hadi Hameed Ministry of Public Health, Maysan Health Department, Maysan governorate, Iraq; E-mail: rafidhadii@gmail.com
Online published on 8 February, 2019. Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) become the third most common cause of death and fifth most frequent cause of chronic disability by 2020. It is mainly caused by cigarette smoking, but the reasons why only a proportion (10%-20%) of smokers develops progressive airflow limitation is currently unknown. The disease is characterized by a chronic inflammatory process predominantly in the small airways and lung parenchyma, with increased numbers of macrophages, neutrophils, and T lymphocytes. This inflammation in the small airways is associated with fibrosis and increases with the severity of airflow limitation. Objectives Is Low relative lymphocyte count was associated with higher mortality in elderly patients with severe COPD? Relative lymphopenia has a homogeneous and strong effect on mortality across the whole follow-up period, but the inherent mechanisms remain to be clarified. This study demonstrates that relative lymphopenia is associated with a poor prognosis in elderly patients with severe COPD. This finding seems worthy of attention because lymphocyte count is a simple, reproducible, widely available and inexpensive prognostic tool. Top Keywords Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, lymphocyte count, relative lymphopenia. Top |