Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is the most common complication and important intervention factors in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. It is presented by right-sided heart failure, hepatic congestion, hypoxemia, ascites and peripheral edema. This study was conducted to assess the correlation of pulmonary artery pressure with hematological and respiratory indexes in COPD patients.

Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out on 81 hospitalized COPD patients in Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Kashan during 2005-2006. The increase of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) by transthorasic echocardiography (TE), force expiratory volume in first second (FEV 1) by spirometry, PaO₂ and PaCO_2, with arterial blood gas analyzer (ABG), hemoglobin (Hb), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspirate aminotransferase (AST), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and serum albumin with blood samples were determined. Pulmonary hypertension was defined as increasing the mean of pulmonary artery pressure grater than 25 mm/Hg. The relationship between PAP and other parameters was evaluated by Pearson analyzing test and correlation index.

Results: Among 81 patients with COPD, 77 subjects (95.1 %) had pulmonary hypertension (PAP> 25 mm Hg). In this study the mean s± SD of studied parameters were as: age= 69 ± 9.2 yrs, FEV1 =38.1 ± 13.1% predicted, PaO₂ =54.6 ± 13.1 mm Hg, PaCO₂ =52.5 ± 10.5 mm Hg, Hb=41.58 ± 1.8 g/dl), AST =39.9 ± 70.5 IU/l, ALT = 39.7 ± 74.02 IU/l, serum albumin= 3.8 ± 0.49 g/dl, and ESR=6.6 ± 9.1.There was not significant correlation between PAP and the other parameters.

Conclusions: According to the echocardiography results PAP>25 mm/Hg was found in most COPD hospitalized patients, having no correlation with the respiratory and biochemical indexes. So, to predict PAP, routine echocardiography for COPD patients, instead of the mentioned indices, is recommended.