Effects of whey protein complex combined with lowintensity exercise in elderly inpatients with COPD at a stable stage

• Published in: Asia Pacific journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 32; no. 4; pp. 375 - 382
• Main Authors: Zong, Min, Shen, Honghua, Ren, Lei, Han, Tao, Chen, Jie, Chen, Yanqiu, Lu, Jiashuo, Zhang, Yin, Li, Shijie, Sun, Jianqin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Southbank HEC Press 01.12.2023
• Subjects: Anxiety; Blood pressure; Brochures; Cardiovascular disease; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Community health care; Dietary supplements; Dyspnea; Endurance; Exercise; Fitness training programs; Health education; Health services; Heart rate; Hospitals; Mental depression; Mental health; Muscle strength; Nutrition research; Oxygen saturation; Patients; Physical fitness; Protein synthesis; Proteins; Rehabilitation; China
• ISSN: 0964-7058; 1440-6047
• DOI: 10.6133/apjcn.20231232(4).0001

Background and Objectives: Previous literature mostly has demonstrated the efficacy of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) combined with whole nutrition powder in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the benefits of whey protein as an oral nutritional supplement (ONS) during PR are not clear. Methods and Study Design: It took 12 weeks to complete the trial, we divided 90 elderly patients with stable-stage COPD into a low-intensity exercise group (n= 30, PR group), PR plus whey proteins complex group (n= 30, PRWP group), and a control group (n= 30) randomly, and assessed index such as exercise capacity, mental health status, lung function, and body composition. Eventually, 84 people persisted until the end of the trial. Results: Compared with the control group, hand grip strength (HGS)(1.4 ± 0.6 kg, and 1.0 ± 0.2 kg respectively, p< 0.05) in the PRWP and PR group, 6 minutes of walking distance (6MWD)(14.1 ± 3.8m, p< 0.05) in PRWP group improved. Furthermore, compared with the PR group, Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (MRC)(-0.2 ± 0.1, p< 0.01), anxiety score (-1.2 ± 0.4, p< 0.01), and body weight (2.0 ± 0.8kg, p< 0.05) improved in the PRWP group. There were no inter-group differences in a fat-free mass index or appendicular skeletal muscle mass index. Conclusions: Muscle strength could be enhanced in both intervention models. Adding whey protein complex was additionally successful in rectifying dyspnea, anxiety, and weight loss caused by exercise. This rehabilitation pattern might be valuable in elderly patients with COPD.