[Temporal organization of external respiratory function in elderly patients with chronic obstructive lung disease].

The clinical course and the circadian, circaseptan, and circasemiseptan chronostructure of external respiratory function (ERF) were studied in 26 elderly patients with chronic obstructive lung diseases before and after routine therapy (RT). ERF was studied on a meta-test spirograph (Russia) and a Ferraris medical peak flowmeter (UK). The values of ERF and bronchial patency were measured every 4 hours within 7 days before and after 10-day RT. The latter included euphylline, expectorants, and antibacterial drugs, if indicated. The patients also use "on-demand" dosage aerosol inhalators not more than 3-5 times a day. The chronobiological data were analyzed by the averaged group cosinor test described by F. Halberg. The results of the study made it possible to detect the impaired temporary organization of ERF and bronchial patency, the phenomena of external and internal desynchronism both prior to and following RT. It clinical effect occurred on day 5.5 after RT. Before RT, circadian variations were found in respiratory volume (RV), respiratory minute volume (RMV), vital capacity (VC), forced expiratory value per sec (FEV1), the Tiffeneau test, and peakflowmetry. After RT, they remained other than variations in RV. The average daily values of VC, FEV1, Tiffeneau test, PO2, and KIO2 statistically significantly increased. The increases of MESORs and other indices tended to be significant. Circasemiseptan variations were found in RV, VC, and FEV1 before RT. After treatment, these were detected in respiration rate (RR), RMV, VC, and KIO2. The MESORs of RMV, VC, FEV1, and KIO2 statistically significantly increased. Prior to and following RT, there were virtually no 7-day (circaseptan) variations, other than those in RR before therapy. The MESORs of VC, FEV1, MVL, and RD statistically significantly increased. The MESORs of other parameters of ERF tended to be significant. Thus, RT led to the improved circadian and circasemiseptan organization of ERF and, to a lesser degree, to that of circaseptan chronostructure of the parameters of ERF.