Evaluation of patients with depression which come with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) attack to the emergency medicine

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a major couse of morbidity and mortality in all world countries. Anxiety and depression is the most common psychiatric disorders in COPD. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the severity of depression in patients with COPD exacerbation. The effect of exacerbations, respiratory function and blood gasses was evaluated on depression.Between July 20011- March 2012 in Düzce University School of Medicine Emergency Departmant consecutive 67 patients, previously diagnosed with COPD, were enrolled who admitted with exacerbation by ambulance or outpatient. The number of attacks were evaluated. FEV, PEV values were evaluated with portable devices. Radial artery blood gasses were exacuted. At the end of the second hour monitoring the treatment of COPD exacerbation, the beck depression scale was applied.The number of attacks in our study were devided into three groups as 1-2, 3-4 and >5. Moderate to severe depression ratio was highest in 25 (37%) patients which have 3-4 attack numbers. In 35 patients who have modarate depression severity, mean FEV1 value was 0.92, and in 15 patients who have sever depression values PEF value which was 1.28 was found to be the best value. Depression severity were compared based on pH, SO2, PO2 values, but was not corralated.Unlike the studies in the literature carried out in clinic and service conditions, our study was not considered statistically significant. We believe that, it might not be performed effectively by the patients that we carried out the respiratory functions and patient dependent depression scale answers immediately after exacerbation therapy. To implement the beck depression scale in the ER eftsoon adversely affect the results that is why we believe that to perform the beck depression scale further time after therapy would reflect significant results.