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Kim, Han, Park, Lee, Kim, and Lee: Cognitive Dysfunction in non-hypoxemic COPD Patients
Original Article
Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2007; 62(5): 382-388.

Published online: 31 May 2007

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2007.62.5.382

Cognitive Dysfunction in non-hypoxemic COPD Patients

Woo Jin Kim, M.D.1, Seon-Sook Han, M.D.1, Myoung-Ok Park, M.D.1, Seung-Joon Lee, M.D.1, Seong Jae Kim, M.D.2, Jung Hie Lee, M.D.2

1Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea.

2Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Jung Hie Lee, MD. Department of Psychiatry, Kangwon National University Hospital, Hyoja-3-dong 17-1, Chuncheon, Kangwon-do, 200-947, Korea. Phone: 82-33-258-2310; FAX: 82-33-258-2466, jhielee@kangwon.ac.kr

Received 9 March 2007       Accepted 30 April 2007

Copyright © 2007 The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases

Abstract

Background

The cognitive function is impaired in patients with hypoxemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, there are conflicting results regarding the cognitive function in patients with non-hypoxemic COPD. COPD patients also have sleep disorders. This study examined the cognitive function in non-hypoxemic COPD patients, and nocturnal sleep was assessed in COPD patients with a cognitive dysfunction.

Methods

Twenty-eight COPD patients (mean age, 70.7 years) with an oxygen saturation > 90%, and 33 healthy control subjects (mean age, 69.5 years) who had visited for a routine check-up were selected. The neurocognitive tests were performed using the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K) Neuropsychological Battery.

Results

The scores of the word list recall test (p=0.03) and the word list recognition test (p=0.006) in the COPD group were significantly lower than those in the control group. Nine patients showed a significantly impaired cognitive function. Seven of these underwent polysomnography, which revealed apnea-hypopnea indices ≥ five per hour in five patients. The median oxygen desaturation index and median limb movement index were 3.6/h and 38.6/h, respectively.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the verbal memory function is impaired in non-hypoxemic COPD patients. Six out of seven COPD patients with an impaired cognitive function had sleep disorders of sleep apnea and/or periodic limb movements during sleep.

Keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Cognitive function, Sleep disorders

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Demographic and clinical data for COPD patients and healthy controls
trd-62-382-i001

*p<0.05, †Epworth Sleepiness Scale.

Table 2
Cognitive function test results for COPD patients and healthy controls, presented as median (range)
trd-62-382-i002

*p<0.05

Table 3
Sleep data for COPD patients with impaired cognitive function
trd-62-382-i003

*apnea-hypopnea index, †oxygen desaturation index.

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