Study objective: The present study was carried out to study the changes in plasma ANP in stable and decompensated cases of COPD and to correlate these changes with the ventilatory and right atrial and right ventricular functions. Subjects: 70 subjects, 60 COPD patients and 10 healthy control subjects. Design: The COPD cases were classified into 3 groups. Group I: Included 20 cases on hospital admission with acute infective exacerbation (Group la), those cases were reinvestigated 6 weeks after medical treatment (Group lb). Group II: Included 20 patients with COPD cor pulmonale and right sided heart failure. Group III: Included 20 patients with COPD without cor pulmonale. Investigations: Ventilatory functions, echocardiography and plasma ANP were done to all subjects. |
