We followed the course of 36 consecutive patients hospitalized with chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease and acute respiratory failure due to exacerbation of chronic bronchitis in
order to clarify the prognosis in this common group of patients. All of the patients had
spirometric evidence of severe, poorly reversible airflow limitation and all had a similar
cause of acute respiratory failure. In addition, all received similar treatment during
hospitalization and follow-up. Patients with asthma and pneumonia were excluded by …