A simple mathematical lung model of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

This article proposes a one-compartment COPD model and demonstrates the identification of the model parameters using one illustrative patient data set. A linear lung mechanics model is extended by a volume-dependent airway resistance to mimic the dynamic behavior during expiration in typical COPD patients. The model parameters are analytically identified with a focus on the switching time constants of the lung mechanics. The fitted model parameters are in a pathophysiological plausible range. The results show the ability of this simple model to represent the overall lung mechanics characteristic of COPD disease and a feasible first approach for the identification of the model parameters.