Chronic obstructive airways disease: clinical evaluation of severity.

A clinical, functional and therapeutic study was carried out in 80 patients with chronic obstructive airways disease. According to the clinical observation on admission they were divided in three different groups: mild, moderate and severe. There were some differences in the amount of sputum, purulence of the sputum, cyanosis and peripheral oedema between the three groups. Group III have had a lower PO2a and higher PCO2a. Airways resistance was nearly the same in all groups. However, the patients of the worse groups (II + III) were significantly older and their disease was of longer duration. "Clinical impressions" do not always agree with single functional tests. To plan a good therapeutic regime all the available data should be considered.