Journal
COPD-JOURNAL OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE
Volume 10, Issue 1, Pages 62-71Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC
DOI: 10.3109/15412555.2012.727918
Keywords
Cardiac arrhythmia; Cardiovascular diseases; Clinical epidemiology; Conduction abnormalities; Cross-Sectional Study; Electrocardiography; Ischemic heart disease; Pulmonary disease
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Funding
- Utrecht University
- Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) [904-61-144]
- Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sports (VWS)
- University of Utrecht
- Province of Utrecht
- Dutch Organisation of Care Research (ZON)
- University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC Utrecht)
- Dutch College of Healthcare Insurance Companies (CVZ)
- Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMW)
- Dutch Health Care Insurance Board (CVZ)
- Royal Dutch Pharmacists Association (KNMP)
- private-public funded Top Institute Pharma
- EU Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)
- EU 7th Framework Program
- Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board
- Dutch Ministry of Health and industry (GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer)
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Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Electrocardiography (ECG) carries information about cardiac disease and prognosis, but studies comparing ECG characteristics between patients with and without COPD are lacking. We related ECG characteristics of patients with COPD, to ECG characteristics of patients without COPD, and determined whether ECG abnormalities are related to COPD severity. A cross-sectional study was conducted within a cohort of 243 COPD patients, aged 65 years or older. All patients underwent extensive examinations, including resting 12-lead ECG and pulmonary function tests. The reference group (n = 293) was a sample from the general population, also aged 65 or older, without COPD. Abnormal ECGs were more prevalent in COPD patients (50%) than in patients without COPD (36%, p = 0.054). Conduction abnormalities were the most common ECG abnormality in COPD patients (28%) being significantly more prevalent than in patients without COPD (11%, p < 0.001). The mean heart rate was higher in COPD patients (72 bpm (SD 14)) compared to controls (65 bpm (SD 13), p < 0.001), and QTc prolongation was less frequent in COPD patients (9% versus 14%, p = 0.01). The prevalence of ECG abnormalities increased with severity of pulmonary obstruction. ECG abnormalities, especially conduction abnormalities are common in COPD patients, and the prevalence of ECG abnormalities increases with severity of COPD. This underlines the importance of an integrated-care approach for COPD patients, paying attention to early detection of unrecognized coexisting cardiac disorders.
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