Which statement about the pink puffer description is accurate?

Which statement about the pink puffer description is accurate?

• A. They are typically blue due to lack of oxygen
• B. They have pink skin due to polycythemia
• C. They are always cyanotic
• D. They do not experience dyspnea

Answer: (B)

Pink puffers are the emphysema-dominant COPD phenotype. They tend to maintain arterial oxygenation, so they look pink rather than blue despite significant dyspnea. Over time, chronic hypoxemia can trigger increased red blood cell production (polycythemia), which gives a pink, plethoric skin tone. That combination makes pink skin due to polycythemia a reasonable descriptor for this group. The other statements don’t fit: this phenotype is not typically blue from oxygen lack, is not always cyanotic, and they do experience dyspnea.

Pink puffers are the emphysema-dominant COPD phenotype. They tend to maintain arterial oxygenation, so they look pink rather than blue despite significant dyspnea. Over time, chronic hypoxemia can trigger increased red blood cell production (polycythemia), which gives a pink, plethoric skin tone. That combination makes pink skin due to polycythemia a reasonable descriptor for this group. The other statements don’t fit: this phenotype is not typically blue from oxygen lack, is not always cyanotic, and they do experience dyspnea.