Introduction. An exacerbations of COPD is an acute event characterized by a worsening of the patient’s respiratory symptoms that id beyond normal day-to-day. Exacerbations of COPD are important events in the course of the disease because they negatively affect a patient’s quality of life, accelerate the rate of decline of lung function and associated with significant mortality, particularly in those requiring hospitalization. Aim of the study. The aim of the study is to approximate the topic of exacerbations in COPD and their influence on the quality of life of patients. The study analyzes differences in quality of life between patients in stable state and patients with exacerbations. Material and Methods. One hundred thirty six patients participated in the study. The first group constituted 84 (62%) patients in stable health state and the second group – 52 (38%) patients with the exacerbation of the disease in the last 3 months. The following study tools were used analysis of the patients’ medical documentation together with the result of spirometry obtained from the hospital system ClinNET, Own questionnaire, Saint George’s Respiratory Questionnaire for COPD patients (SGRQ-C), COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (mMRC). Results and Conclusions. Total score did not differ statistically significantly in the studied groups, except the domain “symptoms”. The patients with exacerbations in the past 3 months achieved lower score in the symptoms effect on the quality of life than those in the stable health state. Present study showed that both groups of patients with COPD, i.e. stable and with exacerbations in the past 3 months might belong to each category of the disease advancement. Patients expressed the will to learn more about their disease.

Key words: COPD, exacerbations, quality of life.