The aim was to study the overall content and organisational aspects of pulmonary rehabilitation programmes from a global perspective in order to get an initial appraisal on the degree of heterogeneity worldwide.A 12-question survey on content and organisational aspects was completed by representatives of pulmonary rehabilitation programmes that had previously participated in the European Respiratory Society (ERS) COPD Audit. Moreover, all ERS members affiliated with the ERS Rehabilitation and Chronic Care and/or Physiotherapists Scientific Groups, all members of the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, and all American Thoracic Society Pulmonary Rehabilitation Assembly members were asked to complete the survey via multiple e-mailings.The survey has been completed by representatives of 430 centres from 40 countries. The findings demonstrate large differences among pulmonary rehabilitation programmes across continents for all aspects that were surveyed, including the setting, the case mix of individuals with a chronic respiratory disease, composition of the pulmonary rehabilitation team, completion rates, methods of referral and types of reimbursement.The current findings stress the importance of future development of processes and performance metrics to monitor pulmonary rehabilitation programmes, to be able to start international benchmarking, and to provide recommendations for international standards based on evidence and best practice. @ERSpublications Differences in aspects of pulmonary rehabilitation programmes suggest caution in generalisation of research findings

These data suggest that low-intensity and home-based PR with the feedback from using pedometer was effective in improving PA, and the improvements of physiological factors were correlated with increased walking time in stable elderly patients with COPD.

Concomitant use of a anti-inflammatory nutritional supplement containing whey peptide, which exhibits an anti-inflammatory effect, with exercise therapy in stable elderly COPD patients with %IBW<110% and %FEV(1)<80% may not only increase body weight but may also inhibit systemic inflammation and thus improve exercise tolerance and HRQOL.

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to quantify the walking time and frequency of postural changes in daily life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using a new triaxial accelerometer system.MethodsTwenty-six elderly patients with stable COPD (age 76.8 ± 6.2 years; percent forced expiratory volume in one second [%FEV1] 52.9% ± 26.3%) and 20 age-matched elderly subjects (age 73.0 ± 4.2 years; %FEV1 124.0% ± 22.3%) participated in the study. The subjects’ time spent walking (slow, fast), standing, sitting, and lying down and the frequency of their postural changes (getting up, standing up) were assessed for 7 consecutive days using an Activity Monitoring And Evaluation System (A-MES™). We analyzed the relationships among walking times, frequency of postural changes, and physiologic factors in both COPD patients and controls.ResultsThe COPD patients’ total walking time, including slow (<2 km/hour) and fast (≥2 km/hour) walking, and their frequency of standing up were significantly lower than those of the age-matched controls (P < 0.01). The fast walking time in daily life was significantly correlated with the 6-minute walking distance, quadriceps femoris muscle force, and dyspnea (P < 0.01).ConclusionThese results suggest that both slow (<2 km/hour) and fast (≥2 km/hour) walking time and frequency of postural changes is significantly decreased in COPD patients compared with healthy elderly subjects. The data also suggest that the COPD patients’ different walking times in daily life are significantly correlated with exercise capacity and dyspnea. The 6-minute walking distance had the strongest correlation with fast walking time.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between dynamic hyperinflation and dyspnea and to clarify the characteristics of dyspnea during the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Twenty-three subjects with stable moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (age 73.8±5.8 years, all male) took part in this study. During the 6MWT, ventilatory and gas exchange parameters were measured using a portable respiratory gas analysis system. Dyspnea and oxygen saturation were recorded at the end of every 2 minute period during the test. There was a significant decrease in inspiratory capacity during the 6MWT. This suggested that dynamic hyperinflation had occurred. Dyspnea showed a significant linear increase, and there was a significant negative correlation with inspiratory capacity. It was suggested that one of the reasons that dyspnea developed during the 6MWT was the dynamic hyperinflation. Even though the tidal volume increased little after 2 minutes, dyspnea increased linearly to the end of the 6MWT. These results suggest that the mechanisms generating dyspnea during the 6MWT were the sense of respiratory effort at an early stage and then the mismatch between central motor command output and respiratory system movement.

BackgroundLittle is known regarding the relationship between balance impairments and physical activity in COPD. There has been no study investigating the relationship between balance and objectively measured physical activity. Here we investigated the association between balance and physical activity measured by an activity monitor in elderly COPD patients.Materials and methodsTwenty-two outpatients with COPD (mean age, 72±7 years; forced expiratory volume in 1 second, 53%±21% predicted) and 13 age-matched healthy control subjects (mean age, 72±6 years) participated in the study. We assessed all 35 subjects’ balance (one-leg standing test [OLST] times, Short Physical Performance Battery total scores, standing balance test scores, 4 m gait speed, and five-times sit-to-stand test [5STST]) and physical activity (daily steps and time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day [MV-PA]). Possible confounders were assessed in the COPD group. The between-group differences in balance test scores and physical activity were analyzed. A correlation analysis and multivariate regression analysis were conducted in the COPD group.ResultsThe COPD patients exhibited significant reductions in OLST times (P=0.033), Short Physical Performance Battery scores (P=0.013), 4 m gait speed (P<0.001), five-times sit-to-stand times (P=0.002), daily steps (P=0.003), and MV-PA (P=0.022) compared to the controls; the exception was the standing balance test scores. The correlation and multivariate regression analyses revealed significant independent associations between OLST times and daily steps (P<0.001) and between OLST times and MV-PA (P=0.014) in the COPD group after adjusting for possible confounding factors.ConclusionImpairments in balance and reductions in physical activity were observed in the COPD group. Deficits in balance are independently associated with physical inactivity.

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a non-pharmacologic therapy that has emerged as a standard of care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, patient-centered intervention that includes patient assessment, exercise training, self-management education, and psychosocial support. PR is usually given in inpatient, outpatient, community-based or home-based setting lasting 8-12 weeks. Positive outcomes from PR include increased exercise tolerance, reduced dyspnea and anxiety, increased selfefficacy, and improvement in health-related quality of life (QoL). Hospital admissions after exacerbations of COPD are also reduced with this intervention. The positive outcomes associated with PR are realized without demonstrable improvements in lung function. This paradox is explained by the fact that PR identifies and treats the systemic effects of the disease. This intervention should be considered in patients who remain symptomatic or have decreased functional status despite optimal medical management. Physical activity in patients with COPD is dependent on many factors, including physiologic, behavioral, social, environmental, and cultural factors. A strong inverse association between daily physical activity and dynamic hyperinflation, which correlates strongly with exertional dyspnea in COPD. Changing physical activity behavior inpatients with COPD needs an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together respiratory medicine, rehabilitation sciences, social sciences, and behavioral sciences. There is a need for more education and learning opportunities for primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and all allied health care professionals about the process and benefits of PR. There is also a need for the sustainability and the safety of PR in the future study.

This study suggested a close relationship between the NSpO and the contractile capability of the diaphragm assessed by ultrasonography in COPD. The %ΔTdi combined with PaO might predict NSpO in COPD patients with mild or no daytime hypoxaemia.