THE ROLE OF CAT SCORE AND CRP LEVEL IN THERAPY ASSESSMENT OF COPD PATIENTS IN WESTERN UTTAR PRADESH

Abstract

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory disorder
characterized by persistent airflow limitation, chronic respiratory symptoms, and systemic
inflammation, leading to significant morbidity and impaired quality of life. The present prospective
observational study was conducted to evaluate the role of the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score
and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level in assessing therapeutic response among COPD patients in
Western Uttar Pradesh. A total of 40 patients diagnosed with COPD according to the GOLD 2023
guidelines were enrolled from the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Krishna Mohan Medical
College and Hospital, Mathura, between March 2024 and April 2025. Baseline and six-week followup assessments included CAT score, serum CRP estimation, and spirometric evaluation. The majority
of patients were males and belonged to the 60–69 years age group, with smoking identified as the
predominant risk factor. Following six weeks of standard therapy, a statistically significant reduction
was observed in the mean CAT score and serum CRP level, along with significant improvement in
pulmonary function parameters, including FEV₁ and FEV₁/FVC ratio (p < 0.001). Furthermore, a
significant positive correlation was observed between CAT score and serum CRP level, whereas both
parameters showed significant negative correlations with FEV₁, indicating that greater symptom
burden and systemic inflammation were associated with poorer lung function. The findings of the
study suggest that the CAT score and serum CRP level are valuable, simple, and complementary tools
for evaluating therapeutic response in patients with COPD. When used together with spirometry, they
provide a more comprehensive assessment of disease severity, systemic inflammation, and treatment
outcomes, thereby supporting their routine use in the clinical management and follow-up of COPD
patients.