The risk of hospitalization or death from chronic obstructive bronchitis (COPD) increased by 26% in patients with the highest urine albumin levels. A surprise insofar as this marker is rather used to monitor kidney disease.
Albuminuria, which allows us to know if we are suffering from kidney disease, would also be a marker of the evolution of chronic obstructive bronchitis (COPD), according to a new search. Trial director Elizabeth C. Oelsner and her team compared data from six studies on the subject, involving a total of 31,877 participants (mean age: 60). This is the first time that such a large-scale study has been carried out on the subject.
Albuminuria indicates that there is damage to the layer of cells lining the blood vessels in the kidney, known as the “endothelium”. “We wanted to know if albuminuria, a simple, non-invasive and commonly used clinical test, could serve as a marker of an increased risk of developing chronic airway diseases, such as chronic obstructive bronchitis and asthma,” explains Elizabeth C. Oelsner (Columbia University).
15 years of prospective follow-up
The researchers excluded from the study participants who already had asthma or chronic bronchitis. The changes in pulmonary function of people in the cohort were followed for 6 years. Hospitalizations and mortality due to respiratory problems were analyzed for an average of 15 years.
As a result, the risk of hospitalization or death from chronic obstructive bronchitis (COPD) increased by 26% in those with the highest urine albumin level. The data were found to be similar in smokers and non-smokers. Asthma, on the other hand, is not significantly associated with albumin levels.
A constellation of vascular problems
The researchers found that these associations remained important even after taking into account a history of smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease. “Our study helps explain why patients with COPD often have a constellation of vascular problems, including heart and kidney disease,” concludes Dr. Oelsner. Albuminuria would thus be an index of the risk of progression to COPD and its associated cardiovascular diseases.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the bronchi and is associated with many cardiovascular diseases. It progresses slowly and becomes disabling, characterized by a gradual decrease in breath. Widely underestimated, it probably affects more than 3.5 million people, or 6 to 8% of the French adult population. Responsible for 3% of deaths in France, COPD could be in France, the 4th cause of death in 2030.
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