Autophagy serves a role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases. The aim of the present study was to compare the autophagy levels in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and healthy individuals and to assess the association between autophagy and the clinical parameters of COPD. Samples of peripheral blood from 20 patients with stable COPD and 20 healthy controls were collected. PBMCs were harvested using Ficoll density gradient centrifugation. Levels of the autophagy-associated proteins ubiquitin-binding protein p62 (p62), microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3A (LC3I/II) and beclin-1 in PBMCs were detected by western blotting. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits were used to detect the serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-. Associations between the levels of autophagy and forced expiratory volume in 1 sec % predicted (FEV1%) and pro-inflammatory factors were assessed. Western blotting demonstrated that the protein expression of p62 was decreased, but LC3II/I and beclin-1 levels increased in patients with COPD compared with healthy controls. Serum levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF- were increased in patients with COPD. The extent of PBMC autophagy was negatively correlated with FEV1% predicted, but positively correlated with levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The levels of autophagy in PBMCs in patients with COPD were increased and were negatively correlated with FEV1% predicted and positively correlated with circulating levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Autophagy may serve a role as a biomarker of the severity of COPD or as a therapeutic target for treatment of COPD.