The authors investigated in a group of 83 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease the prognostic impact of some indicators of pulmonary function, haemodynamics and oxygen transport. They demonstrated that the prognosis is less favourable in patients with a lower one-second vital capacity with a higher median pressure in the pulmonary artery, with a lower oxygen tension in the arterial blood and higher haemoglobin concentration. They did not reveal significant differences between those who died and those who survived for more than five years, after the examination, as regards oxygen supply of tissues, oxygen consumption, coefficient of oxygen extraction and values of oxygen tension in mixed venous blood. Oxygen inhalation led to an increased oxygen supply of tissues and increased oxygen tension in mixed venous blood to normal values in all examined groups. This observation may be one of the explanations of the more favourable prognosis of patients with respiratory insufficiency, associated with chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, who have permanent oxygen therapy during domiciliary care.

Keywords: Biological Transport; Humans; Lung Diseases, Obstructive /blood/; Middle Aged; Oxygen /blood/; Oxygen Consumption; Prognosis; Vital Capacity