Steroid-related factors are related to the severity of peripheral neuropathy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with peripheral neuropathy. Steroid-related factors are thought to contribute to the development of neuropathy in COPD. We evaluated the relationship between the severity of neuropathy, and steroid-related factors in individuals with COPD. This cross-sectional study included a total of 44 patients with COPD and 30 control subjects. Medical records were used to identify the subjects' respiratory function, peripheral sensory deficit, steroid therapy, physical activity, and nutritional state. A clinical examination for peripheral sensory deficit was performed by 2 neurologists; patients with moderate or severe peripheral sensory deficit were classified as having peripheral neuropathy. The mean ages were 58.3 ± 10.7 and 61.0 ± 12.5 years, and FEV1 (% predicted) was 62.4 ± 20.8 and 101.4 ± 16.9% in the COPD and control groups, respectively. The proportion of male patients was significantly higher in the COPD group than the control group (male patients: 73.3 and 0%, respectively; p < 0.001). Peripheral sensory deficit was more frequent in the COPD group than in the control group (72.7% and 30%, respectively; p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between age and peripheral neuropathy (p < 0.001) and total daily steroid dose (p = 0.001) in the COPD group. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, severe peripheral neuropathy was associated with age (OR 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-1.19) and daily steroid dose (OR 1.42, 95% CI: 1.08-1.83). There is an association between steroid therapy, as well as age, and the severity of peripheral neuropathy in individuals with COPD. These findings suggest that an aging process and steroid-related factors are associated with peripheral neuropathy.