Functional status is an important and meaningful outcome in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), although its measurement is not embedded in routine clinical assessments. This study described the functional status of people with COPD using the 1-min sit-to-stand test (1minSTS) over a 6-month period and the examined sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with this outcome. Data from a prospective study including people with COPD were analyzed. Functional status was assessed monthly with the 1minSTS over 6 months. Linear-mixed effect models assessed the 1minSTS number of repetitions mean change. One-hundred and eight participants (82.4% men; 66.9 ± 9.5 years) were included. A significantly lower number of repetitions in the 1minSTS over the 6-month period was associated with being female (estimate: −4.69, 95%CI: −8.20; −1.18), being older (estimate: −0.56, 95%CI: −0.77; −0.34), having higher BMI (estimate: −0.55, 95%CI: −0.81; −0.28) and having higher activity-related dyspnea (estimate: −2.04, 95%CI: −3.25; −0.83). Half of the participants showed improvements above three repetitions in the 1minSTS over the 6-month period, independently of their baseline impairment (1minSTS < 70% predicted: 52.5%; ≥70% predicted: 54.4%). To conclude, monthly follow-up assessments were associated with clinically relevant benefits in the functional status of people with COPD. Age, body composition, and activity-related dyspnea were the main predictors of functional status over time. Further research is needed to corroborate our findings and to support the beneficial effects of regular COPD monitoring.

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common disease that accounts for a significant individual and societal burden. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a key management strategy but it is highly inaccessible, making prioritisation highly needed. This study aimed to determine and optimize predictive models of PR outcomes and build a tool to help healthcare professionals in their clinical decision-making about PR prioritisation. Data from patients who performed a 12-week community-based PR programme were analysed. Exercise capacity with the six-minutes walk test distance (6MWD), isometric quadriceps muscle strength with the handheld dynamometry (QMS) and dyspnoea with the modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale (mMRC) were assessed before and after PR. Multiple linear regression models were determined based on the Akaike information criteria and a cross-validation method. The resultant multiobjective problem was solved using the Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II. R Shiny package was used to create a web-based user interface. Data from 95 patients with COPD (median age of 69 years, 19 female and generally overweight), resulted in linear predictive models for the post-pre difference of the 6MWD, QMS and mMRC with cross-validation R2 of 0.49, 0.53 and 0.51, respectively. 6MWD and mMRC were common statistically significant predictors. Pareto front patients were obese ex-smoker women that do not do long-term oxygen therapy and that performed PR. The distance to the Pareto front along with the estimates given by our models are easily obtained using the designed R Shiny interface and may help healthcare professionals decide on the prioritisation to PR programmes.

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