OBJECTIVETo further investigate an effect of hemoglobin level on organs and functions of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) patients with anemia, in order to provide clinical data on intervention for COPD patients with anemia.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the predictive value of hemoglobin (Hb) level on the survival of inpatients, collected from 4960 COPD cases of three level of first-class hospitals.

RESULTS(1) In 4960 COPD cases, there were 1009 cases with Hb < 110 g/L (males/females was 1009/4960, 20.34%); (2) The prevalence rate of pulmonary embolism (PE), congestive heart failure (CHF) and chronic renal failure (CRF) were significantly increased in the Hb level < 110 g/L and > or = 110 g/L group (P < 0.05); (3) Age, smoking, respiratory failure (RF), ischemic heart disease (IHD), pulmonary heart disease (PHD), CHF, atrial fibrillation (AF), PE, ARF, CRF, PaCO2, PaO2, and Hb levels were significantly different between survival and death group (P < 0.01); (4) Using stepwise regression analysis, age, smoking, Hb level, PaO2, RF, CRF, ACF, PHD, CHF and IHD had significantly association with death (P < 0.05); (5) Hb levels was significantly associated with death (95% CI 1.2975-2.8512 , P = 0.0014 ).

CONCLUSIONLow hemoglobin level (< 110 g/L) was significantly associated with death, and thus may be a valuable predictive marker for mortality of hospitalized COPD patients.