Comprehensive exercise training improves ventilatory muscle function and reduces dyspnea perception in patients with COPD

Abstract

Background. Comprehensive exercise training (CET) is an efficient strategy to decrease dyspnea perception in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and may result in significant improvement in ventilatory muscles function. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of general exercise training on dyspnea perception and on respiratory muscles strength in COPD patients. Methods. Consecutive COPD patients were enrolled to complete a CET programme. The patients underwent a routine that included a global warm up, upper and lower limbs endurance exercise as well as stretching and relaxation. Before and after the CET programme, patients completed maximal inspiratory (PImax) and expiratory (PEmax) pressures measurements, maximal incremental test, endurance test, and 6-min walk distance (6MWD). Results. 71 patients (52 male). Mean age 67.6±8.6 years, FEV1 (%) 44.2±16.2 and Mahler dyspnea scale 6.4±1.8. The results before and after the exercise programme were: PImax 64.7±22.9 vs. 75.5±23.7 cmH2O (p=0.001), PEmax 110.8±28.1 vs. 120.4±28.1 cmH2O (p=0.004), 6MWD 510.6±90.3 vs. 528.2±99.7 metres (p=0.88), time of incremental test 672±135 vs. 856±226 sec (p<0.0001). Compared with the pre exercise programme, we observed a significant reduction on Borg dyspnea scale (6.1±2.8 to 3.6±2.3, p<0.0001) as well as a longer test time (504±218 to 1.038±841, p<0.0001) at the end of the endurance test after CET programme. Improvement of PImax correlated negatively with dyspnea perception at iso-time during the endurance test (r= -0.33, p=0.03). Conclusions. Our results confirm that CET is associated with significant improvement in PImax, PEmax and provide evidence demonstrating that CET reduces dyspnea perception in patients with COPD.

Muscle metabolomics analysis reveals potential biomarkers of exercise‑dependent improvement of the diaphragm function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

“…The comparison of diaphragm function and structure between the CEG and the CMG indicated that exercise significantly improved the diaphragm function, which was also consistent with previous studies (68,69). Although other studies (70,71) have indicated that physical exercise or respiratory re-education increased the strength of respiratory muscles, the effect of specific muscle training has been widely debated (72). In addition, the effectiveness of exercise training observed in the present study does not indicate that all types of exercise have beneficial effects on the diaphragms of patients with COPD.…”

Sixteen weeks of aerobic training influence spirometry, s-klotho, and hemodynamic responses to sub-maximal exercise testing in obese men with severe obstructive sleep apnea

“…83,84 Yet, exercise has been indicated as one of several means to reduce dyspnea events in people with obstructive diseases. 55,[85][86][87] These previous findings are a basis for understanding the occurrence of dyspnea in this study and the improvement following weeks of exercise.…”

Association of lung function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 cardiovascular health metrics

“…Physical activity is important in the control of body weight and we have showed a greater FEV 1 % of predicted in those who reported moderate/vigorous exercise compared to people who were inactive and the lack of physical activity accounted for 3.56% of COPD in population. Others have also shown that a comprehensive exercise training program without specific muscle training was found to be associated with greater improvement of respiratory muscle strength in patients with COPD [34]. In another study, patients who were insufficiently active or active had a 28.0% and 47.0% lower risk of death, respectively, in the 12 months following an index COPD hospitalization compared to inactive patients [35].…”