Prevalence of anemia and its association with dyspnea in chronic lung disease: A pilot observational study

• Author Details:   
• Aishwarya Alavandar ^*
• Jayamol Revendran
• Ghanshyam Verma

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Background: Anemia is a frequently underrecognized comorbidity in chronic lung disease (CLD) and may exacerbate dyspnea. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anemia and its association with dyspnea severity, systemic inflammation, and functional exercise capacity in patients with CLD.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 22 adult patients with confirmed CLD (COPD, ILD, or bronchiectasis). Hemoglobin levels, C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were measured. Dyspnea was assessed using the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale, and functional status via the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). Statistical tests included chi-square, t-tests, and Spearman’s correlation.

Results: Anemia was observed in 54.5% of patients. The anemic group had significantly lower hemoglobin levels (10.2 ± 1.1 vs. 13.6 ± 0.9 g/dL, p < 0.001), higher mMRC scores (3.2 ± 0.8 vs. 2.1 ± 0.6, p = 0.03), elevated CRP (18.4 ± 5.7 vs. 9.2 ± 3.2 mg/L, p = 0.004), and ESR (45.3 ± 9.6 vs. 28.4 ± 10.1 mm/hr, p = 0.002), and reduced 6MWT distances (276 ± 48 vs. 370 ± 56 m, p = 0.002). Hemoglobin inversely correlated with mMRC (r = –0.57), CRP (r = –0.54), and ESR (r = –0.51), and positively with 6MWT (r = 0.59).

Conclusion: Anemia is prevalent in CLD and is associated with increased dyspnea, systemic inflammation, and impaired functional capacity. Routine assessment of hemoglobin and inflammatory markers may enhance clinical management.