Right Heart Failure as a Risk for Stroke in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by complex lesions of the lungs and other organs as well as a progressive obstruction of the airway. In COPD patients, heart failure (HF) is associated with worse conditions such as inflammation, arterial stiffness, and increased risk mortality. However, the association of HF, COPD, and stroke are unclear; the examination of the role of HF, especially right HF, about increased risk of stroke in COPD patients has not been studied. We aimed to determine if right HF is a risk factor for stroke in patients with COPD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A case-control study of patients with COPD was carried out. The cases were defined as COPD patients with ischemic stroke and control COPD patients without stroke.

RESULTS

A total of 162 patients with COPD were analyzed: COPD with stroke (n = 35) and COPD alone (n = 127). COPD patients with right HF were at a greater risk of stroke compared with patients without right HF (odds ratio 3.03, 95% confidence interval 1.13-10.12, p = .044) adjusted for confounding factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Right HF is an independent risk factor for stroke, probably because of cerebrovascular stasis secondary to congestion of the superior vena cava.