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.

The combination of nutritional supplementation with low-intensity exercise training was successful in increasing weight and energy intake as well as exercise capacity and health-related QOL in our patients. Moreover, REE and major inflammatory cytokines decreased significantly after nutritional supplementation with low-intensity exercise training. The present study results suggest a potential role for the combination of nutritional supplementation and low-intensity exercise in the management of malnourished patients with COPD.

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.

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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.

Motor FIM scores increase for at least 6 mos after hip fracture, and discharge destination and independent walking were highly predictable from FIM mobility and social cognition subscales.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of physical activity by a triaxial accelerometer which was developed in Japan recently. Subjects and Method :Ten healthy young students were studied in this study. They wore a triaxial accelerometer during their daily activities, and their physical activities (lying, sitting, standing, and walking) were videotaped. We examined relationships between the time measured with a triaxial accelerometer and that measured with video camera, and also analyzed the errors between the two measurements by Bland-Altman analysis. Results: The relevance between the two measurements showed a very strong correlation in all measurements. There were no additional errors among supine, standing, and walking but there was additional error in sitting position.There were no proportional errors in all four positions. Conclusion: The validity of physical activity measured by a triaxial accelerometer newly developed was suggested in this study.

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