Background and purpose Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a systemic inflammatory disease that can cause repercussions on respiratory muscles and body composition. The aim of the current study was to evaluate inspiratory muscle strength, diaphragmatic mobility, and body composition in COPD subjects and to correlate these variables. Methods This was a cross‐sectional study performed with 21 COPD patients. Inspiratory muscle strength (manovacuometry), pulmonary function test (forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV1], and FEV1/FVC ratio), diaphragmatic mobility (ultrasonography), and body composition (bioelectrical impedance analysis) were examined. Results COPD individuals in Stages II (28.9%), III (52%), and IV (19%) according to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Disease were recruited, 61.9% of which were men. Inspiratory muscle weakness was found in 47.6% of subjects, who presented a lower fat‐free mass percentage (p = 0.017) and smaller fat‐free mass index (p = 0.001) and greater fat mass percentage (p = 0.029) and less diaphragmatic mobility (p = 0.007) compared with the nonrespiratory weakness group. Maximal inspiratory pressure exhibited a moderately positive relationship to the fat‐free mass index (r = 0.767, p < 0.001) and a weak positive relationship to diaphragmatic mobility (r = 0.496, p = 0.022). Conclusion Our study showed a high prevalence of inspiratory muscle weakness based on the severity of airway obstruction and on the presence of muscular depletion. The evaluation of body composition detected important changes. It also demonstrated that not only muscular weakness was present in these patients but also this had repercussions on the mobility of the diaphragm muscle.

Whole-body vibration (WBV) is considered a type of physical activity based on the assumption that it results in an increase in muscle strength and performance and, therefore, may be a promising way to exercise patients with COPD. A comprehensive database search (PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, and COCHRANE Library) for randomized trials, including original articles, that compared WBV groups versus control groups was conducted and studies were selected for comparison. The effect of WBV treatment was compared for minimum clinically important differences. The statistical heterogeneity among the studies was assessed using the I statistic; the results are expressed as percentages. Inconsistencies of up to 25% were considered low, those between 50 and 75% were considerate moderate, and those > 75% were considered high. Risk of bias was classified based on the Cochrane Collaboration tool, the meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software, and the level of evidence was assessed using the GRADE system. The primary outcome was functional exercise capacity. Secondary outcomes were quality of life, performance in activities of daily living, muscle strength of the lower limbs, and possible adverse effects assessed clinically or by subject reports. We included 4 articles involving 185 subjects for analysis. All subjects in the groups undergoing WBV showed improvement in distance walked in the 6-min walk test compared with the control group (57.85 m, 95% CI 16.36-99.33 m). Regarding the secondary end points, just one article reported improved quality of life and activities of daily living. The only article that assessed muscle strength found no difference between the groups. The quality of evidence for functional exercise capacity outcome was considered moderate. WBV seems to benefit subjects with COPD by improving their functional exercise capacity, without producing adverse effects. The quality of evidence is moderate, but the degree of recommendation is strong. (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, 2015:CRD42015027659.).

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