Benefits of High-Intensity Exercise Training to Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Controlled Study

BACKGROUND: Various exercise training programs are used for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) of different severity. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of individualized high-intensity training on exercise capacity with COPD. METHODS: A total of 49 patients agreed to participate. Of these, 31 were assigned to the training group and 18 served as controls. The training group exercised twice a week for 90 min with consecutively increasing loads. At the time of enrollment (T0), as well as after 3 (T1) and 6 (T2) months, a 6-min walk test (6-MWT) was performed and data on health-related quality of life, femoral muscle thickness, and various serum markers were obtained. RESULTS: The training group improved in their 6-MWT results (T0 = 407 +/- 152 m vs. T1 = 459 +/- 127 m, p = 0.002, vs. T2 = 483.2 +/- 130.1 m, p = 0.004), in their cross-sectional area of the musculus rectus femoris (T0 = 6.2 +/- 1.2 cm2 vs. T1 = 6.9 +/- 1.2 cm2, p = 0.003, vs. 7.5 +/- 1.6 cm2, p = 0.002), and in their St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score (T0 = 43.3 +/- 18.0 vs. T1 = 36.0 +/- 18.4, p = 0.001, vs. T2 = 34.7 +/- 18. 0, p = 0.004). Serum levels of myostatin, irisin, resistin, and alpha-Klotho did not change significantly within the training period. Of note, the exercise group showed an inverse relationship between serum levels of resistin and those of alpha-Klotho after 6 months (r = -0.608, p = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: COPD patients undergoing an individualized, structured, high-intensity training program improved their exercise capacity, gained muscle mass, and improved their quality of life.

• Boeselt, T.
• Nell, C.
• Lutteken, L.
• Kehr, K.
• Koepke, J.
• Apelt, S.
• Veith, M.
• Beutel, B.
• Spielmanns, M.
• Greulich, T.
• Vogelmeier, C. F.
• Kenn, K.
• Janciauskiene, S.
• Alter, P.
• Koczulla, A. R.