Respiratory function dynamics of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Respiratory function dynamics of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Vilma Rucevičiūtė Purpose: To assess patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) respiratory function (RF) dynamics of the four-year period. Objectives: 1. To evaluate the influence of smoking to RF dynamics. 2. To evaluate RF and saturation dynamics depending on the number of exacerbations. 3. To evaluate RF dynamics dividing patients into groups based on progression of the disease. 4. To evaluate prescribed treatment depending on the disease progression. Methods and participants: The study measured patients' smoking experience, the number of exacerbations per year, SpO2, spirometry data, COPD progression and treatment. The study involved 93 patients with COPD. During 2011-2014 years they were sent for pulmonologist consultation at the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Clinics. Results: FEV1 ratios remained relatively constant of patients with no smoking experience (20,4%) and former smokers (52,7%). Current smokers (26,9%) had significantly reduced FEV1 at Y3 measurement compared to Y2. In the previous 12 month 10,8% of patients had no exacerbations, but 64,5% had two or more, 24,7% of patients had one exacerbation. There was no statistically significant changes in FEV1 and SpO2 of these groups. Although, patients with one exacerbation had significantly reduced FEV1 at Y3 measurement compared to Y2 (from 60,8±10,6% to 57,6±13,4%, p=0,026). The majority of patients (50,5–75,3%) had an unstable pattern of lung function. The minority of patients (0–7,5%), had stable progressive pattern of lung function and 17,2–49,5% of patients had stable nonprogressive pattern of lung function. Patients, depending on the progression of disease, recieved optimal medical therapy. Conclusion: 1. patients with various smoking expeience had relatively stable FEV1 dynamics, but comparing data of 2013 and 2012 year, smoking had an impact on FEV1 worsening for current smokers. 2. FEV1 and SpO2 dynamics remained similar regardless of the number of exacerbations, but in 2013 patients with 1 exacerbation per year had statistically significant reduction in FEV1 compared with 2012 data. 3. The majority of patients (50,5–75,3%) had an unstable pattern of RF. The minority of patients (0–7,5%), had stable progressive pattern of RF and 17,2–49,5% of patients had stable nonprogressive pattern of RF. 4. Patients, depending on the progression of disease, recieved optimal medical therapy