Intermittent Hypoxemia, Lung Function Decline, Morbidity, and Mortality in COPD (PROSA Study).
This study aims to analyze if patients with chronic obstructive lung disease who experience a decline of blood oxygen saturation during physical exercise have a disease course different from that of COPD patients who do not experience a decline in blood oxygen saturation during exercise. Patients will be followed for a total of 3 years.
- EligibilityCriteria: Inclusion Criteria:  Patients of both sexes with a diagnosis of chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) stages 2-3, groups B and E according to GOLD 38 as assessed by their primary family doctor or pneumology specialist who are treated with long-acting bronchodilators on a stable dose for at least four months prior to inclusion into the study; Age at inclusion 18 - 80 years; Physical ability and willingness to perform 6-minute walk testing and bicycle ergometry testing; Signed written informed consent form  Exclusion Criteria:  Participation in another clinical study within the last 3 months before inclusion into the present study; Any somatic or psychic disease that may hamper participation in the study or compliance with the study protocol (at the investigator's discretion); Any somatic disease that puts the patient at increased risk when performing the exercise tests or impairs the patient's ability to properly perform the exercise tests, like advanced coronary artery disease, advanced chronic heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension, orthopaedic, or neurological diseases (non-exclusive list of examples); Any disease or health condition that reduces the patient's life expectancy to less than the expected time frame of this study, other than chronic obstructive lung disease (at the investigator's discretion); Pregnancy or nursing. - HealthyVolunteers: No - Gender: All - MinimumAge: 18 Years - MaximumAge: 80 Years - StdAgeList: Adult, Older Adult - StudyPopulation: This study will be conducted a patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease of all sexes aged 18 - 80 years. They must be graded as stage 2 - 3 according to GOLD criteria (FEV1 between 30 and 79% of the age-adjusted predicted value) and belong to groups B or E according to symptom scores (mMRC or CAT questionnaires) and exacerbation history. - SamplingMethod: Probability Sample