Thrombocytopenia as a marker of outcome in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Introduction: Thrombocytopenia (TP) is associated with poor outcome in patients who are critically ill with pneumonia, burns, and H1N1 influenza. To our knowledge, no similar study in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) has been conducted to date. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of platelet count on the outcome of patients with AECOPD.

Material and methods: Patients admitted to our teaching hospital for AECOPD were divided into two cohorts, those with and without TP. The outcome of all patients was followed.

Results: Of the 200 patients with AECOPD, 55 (27.5%) had TP. Of these, 14 (25.5%) died in the hospital, whereas of the 145 non-TP patents, 11 (7.5%) died (p-value = 0.001). There was a significantly higher transfer rate to the ICU and mechanical ventilation in TP patients. The mean platelet count was significantly lower in patients who died than those who were discharged (161,672 vs. 203,005 cell/μL; p-value = 0.017). There was negative correlation between duration of hospitalization and platelet count.

Conclusion: TP was associated with poor outcome in AECOPD. TP could be considered as a marker for the assessment of inflammation and prognosis in AECOPD patients based on its cost-effective features.