The paper presents comparative analysis of the results of low- cycle fatigue experiments on specimens made of 45 steel under uniaxial loading and bending. The analysis involves, among other things, the cyclic properties and the fatigue life of the specimens in a wide range of loading conditions. The experimental techniques used during bending enabled us to estimate the influence of strain distribution on fatigue life. The materials data obtained under the loading conditions mentioned above were employed to estimate the fatigue life of the structural elements. The results of experiments and calculations are presented in the form of fatigue curves. They also show the influence of axial loading and bending on the accuracy of the calculations.