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Moderate and severe exacerbations accelerate physical activity decline in COPD patients

Researchers recommend the promotion of interventions to increase physical activity after an exacerbation

Date:
February 20, 2018
Source:
Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)
Summary:
A new study shows that both moderate and severe exacerbations in COPD patients are associated with a decline in their physical activity level. Researchers observed that the acute drop in physical activity during a COPD exacerbation has an important and lasting effect.
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A study led by researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by the "la Caixa" Banking Foundation, has shown that both moderate and severe exacerbations in COPD patients are associated with a decline in their physical activity level. These results have been recently published in the European Respiratory Journal.

"Previous research showed an acute drop in physical activity during a COPD exacerbation. We now observed that this drop in physical activity has an important and lasting effect. Higher exacerbation frequencies were associated with more pronounced declines in physical activity," states Heleen Demeyer, first author of the study and researcher from KU Leuven and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal).

"An unexpected finding was that two or more moderate exacerbations (treated without hospital admission) resulted in a long-term decline in physical activity equivalent to that of a severe event (with hospitalization), which confirms the importance of prevention and early management of exacerbations regardless of the severity," Dr Demeyer adds.

The study was based on data from 141 patients from five European healthcare centres (in Greece, Scotland, England, Belgium and The Netherlands). Researchers measured physical activity using accelerometers and retrieved the number and severity of exacerbations during a 12 month follow up. The patients' perception of their physical activity was also assessed.

Although the study does not identify the specific mechanisms responsible of the observed decline in physical activity, researchers present two hypotheses: the first one, which is not supported by the results of this study, suggests that the decline could be consequence of a loss in functional exercise capacity. The second hypothesis says that a worsening of symptoms during an exacerbation could lead to more inactivity, and thus brings patients in a vicious cycle of symptoms and inactivity.

"Patients with frequent exacerbations constitute a specific disease phenotype with a worse prognosis, specifically a faster loss in lung function, a greater worsening of health status and a substantial reduction in the amount of physical activity," explains Judith Garcia-Aymerich, ISGlobal researcher and coordinator of the study. "Our results support the promotion of interventions to increase physical activity after an exacerbation, such as behavioral programmes combined, when needed, with pulmonary rehabilitation," she adds.


Story Source:

Materials provided by Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Heleen Demeyer, Marcos Costilla-Frias, Zafeiris Louvaris, Elena Gimeno-Santos, Maggie Tabberer, Roberto A. Rabinovich, Corina de Jong, Michael I. Polkey, Nicholas S. Hopkinson, Niklas Karlsson, Ignasi Serra, Ioannis Vogiatzis, Thierry Troosters, Judith Garcia-Aymerich. Both moderate and severe exacerbations accelerate physical activity decline in COPD patients. European Respiratory Journal, 2018; 51 (1): 1702110 DOI: 10.1183/13993003.02110-2017

Cite This Page:

Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). "Moderate and severe exacerbations accelerate physical activity decline in COPD patients." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 February 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180220095023.htm>.
Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). (2018, February 20). Moderate and severe exacerbations accelerate physical activity decline in COPD patients. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180220095023.htm
Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). "Moderate and severe exacerbations accelerate physical activity decline in COPD patients." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180220095023.htm (accessed March 18, 2024).

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