BACKGROUND: Chronic hypoxemia in patients with COPD is a limiting factor that is associated with disease progression and significantly contributes to decreased physical activity. Although correction of hypoxemia results in physiological improvements, oxygen therapy may be related to social isolation and inactivity. However, few studies have objectively investigated the level of physical activity in daily life (PADL) in these patients. The objective of this study was to compare the level of PADL in subjects with COPD on home oxygen therapy and in subjects with no oxygen therapy, and to investigate whether home oxygen therapy is associated with the level of PADL. METHODS: In this study, 29 subjects with COPD composed the home oxygen therapy group, and 30 subjects with COPD composed the control group. All of them underwent assessment of anthropometric measurements, spirometry, peripheral muscle strength, limitations in activities of dalily living, perception of dyspnea, health status, as well as PADL monitoring. RESULTS: Home oxygen therapy subjects showed less time walking (P ‫؍‬ .001), in active physical activities (P ‫؍‬ .003), in physical activities > 3 METs (P ‫؍‬ .001), and in physical activities < 1.5 METs (P ‫؍‬ .042), as well as fewer steps (P ‫؍‬ .001). Physical inactivity was present in 24 home oxygen subjects (82.8%) and 18 control subjects (60%). Oxygen therapy was associated with severe physical inactivity (Cramer's V ‫؍‬ 0.29, P ‫؍‬ .040). The time using oxygen therapy (h/d) was the strongest predictor of the level of PADL (r 2 ‫؍‬ 0.38-0.43, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Subjects with COPD using oxygen at home showed reduced level of PADL. The results indicate that oxygen therapy is associated with severe physical inactivity and may be a predictor of the level of PADL.

The study objective was to investigated the reliability and validity of the ADL-Glittre test (TGlittre) to assess the functional status of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). Twenty-one individuals with ILD participated (age: 63 ± 11 years; DLCO: 51.0 ± 12.6%predicted), evaluated with body plethysmography, Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire, modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale, six-minute walk test (6MWT) and monitoring of physical activity of daily living. Two TGlittre were performed, with an interval of 30 minutes between them. The TGlittre demonstrated high test-retest reliability, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.90 (95%CI: 0.75–0.96; p < 0.001). Nineteen patients (90.5%) performed better on the second test (mean difference between TGlittre 1 and 2: −0.57 ± 0.96 minute; p = 0.001), with a learning effect of 11.6%. The time in TGlittre correlated with 6MWT (r = −0.70; p = 0.002) and with the total energy expenditure in physical activity of daily living (r = −0.52; p = 0.02). In %predicted, TGlittre and 6MWT also correlated (r = −0.50; p = 0.04). Correlations were observed between TGlittre and pulmonary function variables (r = −0.47 to −0.57; p = 0.01 to p = 0.04). There was no difference in the physiological response between TGlittre 1 and 2, and between TGlittre and 6MWT (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the TGlittre is reliable and valid for assessing functional status of patients with ILD.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) assessment test (CAT) reflects the functional status of patients with COPD. Forty-seven patients underwent anthropometric assessment, spirometry, the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), the Glittre-activity of daily living (ADL) test (TGlittre), the London Chest ADL (LCADL) scale, and the CAT. The total score of the CAT correlated with 6MWT distance, TGlittre time spent, and LCADL %total (r ¼ À0.56, 0.52, and 0.78, respectively; p < 0.05 for all). There was significant difference in 6MWT distance (490 + 85.4 m vs. 387 + 56.8 m), TGlittre time spent (3.67 + 1.07 min vs. 5.03 + 1.32 min), and LCADL %total (24.2 + 3.02% vs. 44.4 + 13.3%) between the low and high impacts of COPD on health status (respectively, p < 0.05 for all) as well as in the LCADL %total between medium and high impact of COPD on health status (31.3 + 7.35% vs. 44.4 + 13.3%; p ¼ 0.001). In conclusion, the CAT reflects the functional status of patients with COPD.

The TGlittre time and ventilatory parameters are reproducible, while DH is variable in COPD patients. A 6-7% learning effect was shown, and it is recommended to perform two tests.