Decreased Levels of Protein C and Protein S in Patients with COPD and Pulmonary Embolism

ABSTRACT

Pulmonary embolism (PE) appears to be a major threat in patients who suffer of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 13% of these patients suffer of embolism events. There are several causes for the development of a thrombophilic condition in patients with COPD, with abnormalities of the coagulation pathway being one of them. The aim of this study was to research the frequency of abnormalities in the anti-clotting proteins in COPD patients who have had a documented event of PE.

Forty-three COPD/PE patients were studied and their levels of anti-clotting proteins were compared with those of 40 patients diagnosed only with COPD.

A reduction in anti-clotting proteins was identified in 23% (10/43) of COPD/PE patients, but in none of the COPD patients showed this condition. In the COPD/PE group, 8 patients showed a significant decrease in protein C (mean 27 ± 8%), and also 5 patients showed decrease levels of protein S (mean 28 ± 7%). Interestingly, decreased levels in both protein C and protein S were observed in 3 of them. None of the COPD/PE patients showed evidence of alterations in the values of activated protein C resistance.

Our data shows a higher frequency of alterations in the endogenous anticoagulant protein system in COPD/PE patients. More studies are needed to identify a high risk for patients suffer from this disease.