Two different training programmes for patients with COPD: A randomised study with 1-year follow-up

• Published in: Respiratory medicine Vol. 100; no. 1; pp. 130 - 139
• Main Authors: Harpa Arnardóttir, R., Sörensen, Stefan, Ringqvist, Ivar, Larsson, Kjell
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 2006; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: adult; Aged; Analysis of Variance; Anxiety; arterial gas; arterial oxygen tension; Biological and medical sciences; blood gas analysis; breathing rate; Chronic Obstructive; chronic obstructive lung disease; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; clinical trial; controlled clinical trial; controlled study; Disease; disease severity; Emphysema; Endurance training; ergometry; Exercise; Exercise Therapy; Exercise Therapy - methods; Exercise Tolerance; Exercise training; Female; follow up; Follow-Up Studies; forced expiratory volume; Health Status; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; Hospitals; human; Humans; intermethod comparison; long term care; lung function test; major clinical study; Male; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Miscellaneous; oxygen saturation; peak expiratory flow; physical education; physical stress; Pneumology; priority journal; Pulmonary Disease; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - rehabilitation; Quality of Life; questionnaire; Questionnaires; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); randomized controlled trial; Rehabilitation; Resistance training; spirometry; Sweden; training; Treatment Outcome; Walking; Sweden; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); Exercise training; Endurance training; Rehabilitation; Resistance training; Physical exercise; Human; Lung disease; Respiratory disease; Chronic disease; Resistance; Chronic; Follow up study; Rehabilitation(human); Bronchus disease; Endurance; Obstructive pulmonary disease; Pulmonary Disease; Chronic Obstructive/rehabilitation
• ISSN: 0954-6111; 1532-3064; 1532-3064
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2005.03.043

To compare the effects on exercise capacity and health related quality of life (HRQoL) of two exercise programmes; one programme including endurance training and one including only resistance training and callisthenics. A second purpose was to find out whether the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affected the training response and whether the interventions had a long-term effect. Sixty-three patients were stratified according to severity of COPD and randomised to two training groups. Group A had a mixed programme including endurance training. Group B had resistance training and callisthenics. All trained twice weekly for 8 weeks. A symptom-limited ergometer test, 12-min walking test, dynamic spirometry, blood gas analysis at rest and HRQoL were measured before and after the training period. Follow-up tests were conducted at 6 and 12 months after training. Forty-two patients fulfilled the trial. In group A ( n = 20 ) peak exercise capacity increased by 7 W ( P < 0.001 ) and 12-min walking distance (12MWD) by 50 m ( P < 0.01 ), whereas group B ( n = 22 ) did not change in any of these variables. HRQoL did not change significantly in either group. Training response was similar in patients with moderate and severe disease. One year post-training 12MWD had returned to pre-training level in group A, and below pre-training level in group B ( P < 0.05 ). Exercise capacity in patients with severe and moderate COPD improved by intensive endurance training, two sessions a week for 8 weeks. The improvement was however small and HRQoL did not improve. Severity of illness did not affect response to training. The results indicated that the effects of a short endurance training intervention slowed down decline in baseline functional exercise capacity for 1 year.