Troponin T in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Patients After Physical Exercise

COPD, Physical Exercise and Troponin T

The primary purpose of the study is to investigate if physical exercise is associated with myocardial damage, expressed by elevated troponin T, in patients with COPD.

Patients with COPD will perform a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) on treadmill until exhaustion, 8-12 minutes. Venous blood will be drawn before exercise test and 15 minutes, 3 hours and 24 hours after test for analysis of high sensitive Cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT). The investigators will also measure arterial bloodgas, oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide consumption, ventilation, blood pressure, ECG, heart rate and ask for dyspnea-score.

Inclusion Criteria:

• COPD
• GOLD 2-4
• BODE-index ≥ 2
• Referred by physician to a CPET

Exclusion Criteria:

• Other serious pulmonary diseases (e.g. cancer, sarcoidosis, restrictive pulmonary diseases)
• Chronic heart disease with unstable angina or myocardial infarction ≤ 3 months prior to inclusion
• Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)
• Hypertension that is not controlled