[Hypercoagulability state and endotelial injury in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients].

COPD is currently the fourth cause of death in our country; the main causal agent of the disease is tobacco whose effects on the bronchial tree are not limited to the lung parenchyma. The action of tobacco injures the endothelial wall, which could contribute to lung thrombosis, ischemic events or secondary pulmonary hypertension. Our work investigates the existence of a prothombotic state in these patients, characterized by the activation of clotting and endothelial injury, comparing the values of biochemical markers between COPD patients and healthy volunteers. Fifty-one patients with COPD and a group of 30 healthy volunteers of similar ages were selected and fibrinogen, D-dimer, factor VIII and von Willebrand factor (FvW:Ag and FvW:Rico) levels were compared. We found an increase of all markers in the patient group compared to the healthy control group. The differences found were statistically significant in all cases (p<0.05). COPD is characterized by a state of hypercoagulability and endothelial injury that they could contribute to the development of vascular complications such as lung thrombosis, ischemic events or secondary pulmonary hypertension.