Osteoporosis in COPD: Are Bones Brittle in COPD?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD is a systemic disease with predominant respiratory symptoms. Airflow obstruction has significant effects on cardiac function and gas exchange with systemic consequences. Various extra pulmonary effects include, Skeletal muscle wasting and cachexia, ischemic heart disease, heart failure including left sided heart failure, osteoporosis, Normocytic anemia, lung cancer, depression etc. Osteoporosis becomes more prevalent in COPD patients as the disease progresses. Present study is a case-control study that was conducted by department of Internal and pulmonary medicine. Patients diagnosed with COPD based on ATS guidelines and staged based on GOLD guidelines that were following as an outpatient in pulmonary clinic of SKIMS were selected for the study. Total of sixty patients of COPD were taken and were compared with one hundred twenty age and sex matched controls. In current study we found no significant correlation between osteoporosis and smoking, although smoking is clearly a risk factor for both osteoporosis and COPD.