[Development of respiratory function in patients with chronic obstructive respiratory disease].

Follow-up assessments were done in 18 patients with chronic obstructive airways disease, mainly chronic obstructive bronchitis, over a mean of 9.4 (6-18) years. Two hospital admissions were required for periods of three years. In addition, 5 of the patients had concomitant severe emphysema (chronic obstructive emphysematous bronchitis). During the observation period development of emphysema and airways resistance had not increased to any measurable degree. The patients' mean age by the end of the study was 63.6 years. Reversibility of the disease could not be influenced during clinical treatment. Patients with serious emphysema had neither worse airways resistances nor worse arterial blood gases than patients with obstructive airways disease without emphysema. As expression of increasing distribution disorder only arterial oxygen pressure decreased during the observation period when compared to normal age-related changes. The investigation demonstrates the great relevance of persistent treatment for prevention of exacerbations as well as for interval periods. This has decisively influenced the course of the disease: life expectancy of patients has clearly improved as respiratory function can be maintained constant over many years.