Diffusing Capacity and Mortality in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

This study showed that patients with COPD who had low diffusing capacity, which is a clinical measure of gas transfer, had greater predicted all-cause mortality. This is important because it supports diffusing capacity as an important measurement to identify patients with COPD with the greatest risk for death, leading to customized treatments, better outcomes, and greater survival rates. Several co-authors are ACRC investigators and scientific advisors to the Lung Association.