Which laboratory finding indicates that the body is attempting to compensate for the patient's end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ?

A) Hemoglobin 22.1 g/dL
B) Serum sodium 130 mEq/L
C) Serum cholesterol 236 mg/dL
D) Serum albumin level 4.8 g/dL

Hemoglobin

A protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs.

Serum Sodium

The concentration of sodium in the blood, an essential electrolyte that helps regulate water balance in the body.

Serum Cholesterol

A measure of the total amount of cholesterol in the blood, including low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), important for assessing heart disease risk.