Relation of lung function, maximal inspiratory pressure, dyspnoea, and quality of life with exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Abstract

Background -Several studies have shown that both objective and subjective measurements are related to exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (Thorax 1994;49:468-472) Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) usually have a decreased exercise tolerance and a reduced quality of life. While spirometric measurements seem to be related to maximum ventilation in a bicycle ergometer performance,' in general they correlate weakly with less stressful tests such as the walking distance.2 5 Moreover, it has been shown that the transfer factor for carbon monoxide (TLCO) is positively correlated with the walking distance test.67Although dynamic and static lung volumes, compliance, and gas transfer (lung function) generally establish the level of impairment in COPD, Mahler and coworkers showed that maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) provides additional information on impairment.8 Loiseau and coworkers9 also showed that exercise capacity in patients with COPD was related to the impairment of the inspiratory muscles. In addition, it has been shown in other studies that walking distance tests are related to psychosocial measurements, while no relation has been found between psychosocial measurements and bicycle ergometer tests.4 10 11Both objective and subjective measurements are related to exercise capacity in patients with COPD. However, we are not aware of any research on their relative effect on a walking distance test compared with a bicycle ergometer test. In this study we have therefore investigated the relative contribution of lung function, maximal inspiratory pressure, dyspnoea, and quality of life to the performance in a walking distance test as well as a bicycle ergometer test in patients with COPD. Methods PATIENTSForty patients with known COPD"2 (table 1) who started a rehabilitation programme were studied. Entry criteria were: (a) postbronchodilator FEV, (forced expiratory volume in one second) <60% predicted, and (2) postbronchodilator FEV,/IVC (inspiratory vital capacity) <50% (after two inhalations of 40,ug Rehabilitation Centre,

Association between Emergency Visits with Acute Exacerbation and Exercise Performance in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

“…It was suggested that the six-minute walk test can be used instead of a spirometer to determine the severity of COPD (12). Studies investigating the correlation of the six-minute walk test with spirometric parameters demonstrated significant correlations with FEV 1 (31) and DLCO (35,36). In the present study, the six-minute walk test showed a positive correlation with FEV 1 (%), FEV 1 /FVC, and DLCO (%) values.…”

Espirometria de incentivo com pressão positiva expiratória é benéfica após revascularização miocardio

“…This result may be explained by the fact that the group was submitted to an intervention protocol that result in improvement of pulmonary rexpansion and of ventilatory pattern and could reduce sensation of dyspnea and perceived effort in these patients. It is demonstrated that the functional limitations correlate positively to the roamed distance and to dyspnea reporter during 6MWT 25 . Conversely, studies that assessed the sensation of effort and dyspnea perceived during 6MWT after cardiac surgery demonstrated that the effort sensation may be related to psychological aspects and to the performance during 6MWT.…”

Correlation of cardiopulmonary exercise testing parameters with quality of life in stable COPD patients

“…Exercise intolerance is one of the important aspects of health related quality of life in COPD (19,20) and there is considerable evidences that pulmonary rehabilitation programs improve exercise tolerance and patients' health related quality of life (21,22). There is little evidence about the relationship between subjective complaints in COPD and objective parameters.…”