Assessment of cognitive function and hand dexterity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problem worldwide and associated with multiple systemic involvements. Long-term hypoxia leads to impaired cognitive function and hand dexterity. With the background of few previous researches, we have aimed to assess cognitive function and hand dexterity in the patients with COPD as well as correlation between them and with oxygen saturation (SpO2). Materials and Methods: Data were collected and compared between 52 stable mild-to-moderate hypoxemic COPD patients defined by the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease Guidelines and 48 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers attending the outpatient department of a government hospital Kolkata, using a validated questionnaire Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) tool for the assessment of cognitive function and the Nine-Hole Peg Test for assessment of hand dexterity. Results: The median (interquartile range [IQR]) value of Hand Dexterity Test for the dominant hand for the test group was 22 (20–24) s, and for the control group, 19 (18–20) s (P < 0.001). The median MMSE scores (IQR) for test and control groups were 19.5 (18–22) and 28 (26–29), respectively (P < 0.001). There is a negative correlation between these two parameters (correlation coefficient Spearman's rho −0.747 with 95% confidence interval −0.824 to −0.649, P < 0.001). SpO2has negative correlation with hand dexterity (correlation coefficient Spearman's rho −0.772 with 95% confidence interval −0.840 to −0.676, P < 0.001) and a positive correlation with MMSE score (correlation coefficient Spearman's rho 0.899 with 95% confidence interval +0.846 to +0.934, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Patients with COPD have reduced cognitive ability and hand dexterity. Hypoxia shows a negative correlation with hand dexterity and a positive correlation with cognitive impairment.