Exercise Program Linked to Improved Quality of Life with COPD

A short exercise regimen significantly improves the quality of life and physical limitations of patients who are obese and have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to new research.

Because being overweight or obese adds to the risk of experiencing an exacerbation of COPD, researchers in Spain investigated different therapy options that could reduce the effects of the disease.

The researchers followed 49 patients who were obese and were hospitalized for an acute exacerbation of COPD at 2 university hospitals in Granada, Spain.
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Patients were randomly separated into 2 groups. The control group received standard care and the intervention group participated in an exercise program for 7 to 10 days in addition to receiving standard care. The exercise program focused on lower limb exercises using elastic bands, pedaling, and balancing on 1 foot.

All patients completed questionnaires regarding pulmonary issues; physical strength and exercise capacity; and perceived variables including dyspnea, quality of life, and psychological distress.

After treatment, the researchers found that patients in the intervention group had significantly improved their physical limitations and perceived variables. In addition, those in the control group had a significant decrease in lower limb strength, but their dyspnea had significantly improved.

“A multimodal therapeutic program has a beneficial effect on physical functioning and perceived variables in hospitalized obese patients with [acute exacerbation of] COPD,” the researchers concluded.

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Torres-Sáncheza I, Valenzaa MC, Sáez-Rocab G, Cabrera-Martosa I, López-Torresa I, Rodríguez-Torresa J. Results of a multimodal program during hospitalization in obese COPD exacerbated patients [published online September 29, 2015]. COPD. doi:10.3109/15412555.2015.1043428.