Effects of isolated cycle ergometer training on patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
BACKGROUND
Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programs are beneficial to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lower-extremity training is considered a fundamental component of PR. Nevertheless, the isolated effects of each PR component are not well established.


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to evaluate the effects of a cycle ergometry exercise protocol as the only intervention in a group of COPD patients, and to compare these results with a control group.


METHODS
25 moderate-to-severe COPD patients were evaluated regarding pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, exercise capacity, quality of life and body composition. Patients were allocated to one of two groups: (a) the trained group (TG; n = 13; 6 men) was submitted to a protocol of 24 exercise sessions on a cycle ergometer, with training intensity initially set at a heart rate (HR) close to 80% of maximal HR achieved in a maximal test, and load increase based on dyspnea scores, and (b) the control group (CG; n = 12; 6 men) with no intervention during the protocol period.


RESULTS
TG showed within-group significant improvements in endurance cycling time, 6-min walking distance test, maximal inspiratory pressure and in the domain 'dyspnea' related to quality of life. Despite the within-group changes, no between-group significant differences were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
In COPD patients, the results of isolated low-to-moderate intensity cycle ergometer training are not comparable to effects of multimodality and high-intensity training programs.
Pitta
F
F
Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil. fabiopitta@uol.com.br
Brunetto
A F
AF
Padovani
C R
CR
Godoy
I
I
D000368:Aged; D001642:Bicycling; D001823:Body Composition; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D001239:Inhalation; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D010807:Physical Endurance; D011312:Pressure; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking