Effect of phosphate level on the outcome of COPD patients in the Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

hronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a preventable and treatable disease with some significant extra pulmonary effects that may contribute to the severity in individual patients. Its pulmonary component is characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. Exacerbations and comorbidities contribute to the overall severity in individual patients. Phosphorus is an essential element in all living cells. It is extremely important in the process of production of adenosine triphosphate, main element in the structure of nucleic acids. Low levels of phosphorus in blood is rare, however it may be caused by unbalance between components participating in phosphorus cycle and affect performances of several systems. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of hypophosphatemia on patients with acute exacerbation of COPD. This observational study was performed on 50 patients with acute exacerbation of COPD were admitted to intensive care department of Ain Shams University. Serum phosphorus was measured on admission, hypophosphatemia is considered if serum phosphorus is below 2.5mg/dl.