Introduction:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a respiratory problem with the highest prevalence and socioeconomic impact in the world, despite being a potentially preventable disease.

Objective:

To compare clinically and functionally patients diagnosed with severe and very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Methods:

A descriptive study was carried out in patients with a clinical-spirometric diagnosis of severe or very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to sex. They were assisted at the Benéfico Jurídico Neurologic Hospital from September 2015 to March 2017. It was used for the quantitative variables the mean and standard deviation and the statistical significance analysis using the student's t test. Fifty patients formed the sample, 25 men and 25 women.

Results:

Women had fewer exacerbations with a means difference of 0.7 (95% CI male 2.4-3.1; female 1.6-2.5; p = 0.01). The dyspnea sensation was greater in men, with a means difference of 0.6 (95% CI male 2.4-3.1; female 1.8-2.5; p = 0.00). In the exercise capacity according to PM6M, women achieved better percentages than predicted with a means difference of 12.8% from (95% CI male 49.2-63.5; female 62.6-75.7; p = 0.00).

Conclusions:

Men present more complications than women with the same spirometrical characteristics.

        · resumen en Español     · texto en Español     · Español ( pdf )