Assessment of the BODE Index and Its Association With Inflammatory Mediators in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Patients

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory condition impacting daily activities of susceptible individuals and increasing the risk of respiratory infections and cardiovascular disease. Body Mass Index, Airflow Obstruction, Dyspnea, and Exercise Capacity (BODE) index is applied clinically to measure the survival of COPD patients. Inflammatory mediators, including cytokines and chemokines, significantly contribute to the COPD pathology. In this study, the association between the BODE index and systemic inflammatory mediators in stable COPD patients was evaluated. Methodology This was a cross-sectional observational study performed on 85 clinically stable COPD patients and the GOLD criteria were used for the diagnosis. The demographics and clinical history of the patients were documented. The clinical assessment comprising the Modified Medical Research Council (MMRC) dyspnea scale, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and BODE index was measured. The serum levels of systemic inflammatory mediators, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured. The association between the BODE index and inflammatory markers was analyzed using Pearson's correlation analysis. Results The majority of patients (61.2%) were in stage I BODE index and BODE index showed a significant correlation with GOLD stage severity (p=0.001). The CRP, TNF-α and IL-6 levels were increased in BODE stage IV when compared to stage III, II and I (p=0.001). The CRP (r=0.654; p=0.000), TNF-α (0.542; p=0.01) and IL-6 (r=0.498; p=0.02) showed significant correlation with BODE index. Conclusion The evaluation of the BODE index alongside systemic inflammatory markers is crucial for enhancing the management of COPD and subsequently improving patient outcomes.