Pulmonary Rehabilitation Improves Quadriceps Muscle Strength in Patients With Chronic Respiratory Disorders

Abstract

Skeletal muscle dysfunction is an important factor in reduced exercise capacity, impaired quality of life and higher health-care utilization in COPD. Reduced quadriceps function is associated with decreased survival, functional status, and quality of life. Relating quadriceps peak torque (Tq) to its peak electromyographic (EMG) signal (Eq) is an index that may predict fatigue during active contraction. It has not been investigated in patients with chronic respiratory disorders. The objective of this study is to assess changes in skeletal muscle function in patients undergoing a standard 8-week outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program. We hypothesized that the ratio Eq/Tq in such patients should be increased in comparison to healthy control subjects.

Peak Quadriceps Muscle Torque and Electromyographic Output in Patients With Chronic Respiratory Disorders: Effects of Pulmonary Rehabilitation

“…The findings of this study were previously reported in part in an abstract elsewhere. 34 Since the publication of the abstract, additional patients have been studied with expansion of the physiological analysis in this paper. The study was conducted between January 2019 and January 2022.…”

Pulmonary Rehabilitation in the Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease among Asian Indians- Current Status and Moving Forward

“…Early initiation of PR can potentially minimize the effect of acute exacerbations on the skeletal muscle and prevent the deterioration of skeletal muscle to a significant extent [23], thus appearing to be an effective strategy to change the course of the disease [24]. Several other studies have demonstrated significant improvement in muscle function and quality of life [25][26][27][28][29][30], psychosocial wellbeing [31], reduction in mortality, and rate of hospitalization [32] following successful completion of PR. The benefits of PR can be further maximized by introducing supplemental nutrition [33,34].…”