Muscle training program in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of a muscle training program with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for lower limbs (LL) and active resisted exercises for upper limbs (UL) for patients with severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Methods: With a sample of 5 subjects (65.2 ± 6.09 years), the initial and final evaluations were: One-RepetitionMaximum testing; Sit-to-stand test; perimetry of the thigh; 6-minute walk test; Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire; Medical Research Council scale for dyspnea and the BODE index. The intervention was performed three times a week and was composed of 18 sessions of 30-minute NMES followed by 30 minutes of exercise for the UL based on the diagonal Kabat method. The NMES parameters were: 50Hz of frequency, 6s on and 8s off, increase slope of 2s and decrease slope of 2s, pulse width of 400µs, and intensity defined as patient tolerance and increased from 1 to 5mA each day. Results: The results have shown an increase in muscle strength (p = 0.01) and of muscle resistance (p = 0.01). There was an improvement tendency in the quality of life (p = 0.16) and in the cardiorespiratory fitness (p = 0.11). Conclusion: The association of physical exercises with diagonals and NMES can be a beneficial resource for the treatment of patients with severe COPD. It is suggested, however, the need for new researches with a wider sample size for assuring these benefits.