title: Physical activity in COPD patients: patterns and bouts.
abstract: The present study aims to describe the pattern of physical activity and the frequency, duration and intensity of physical activity bouts in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), to assess how these patterns differ according to COPD severity, and to explore whether these patients meet the general guidelines for physical activity for older adults. 177 patients (94% male, mean±sd age 71±8 years and forced expiratory volume in 1 s 52±16% predicted) wore the SenseWear Pro2 Armband accelerometer for eight consecutive days. Physical activity bouts were defined as periods of ≥10 min above 1.5 metabolic equivalent tasks and classified according to their median intensity. Patients engaged in activity a median of 153 min·day(-1) and 57% of that time was spent in bouts. Median frequencies of bouts per day were four and three for all and moderate-to-vigorous intensities, respectively. With increasing COPD severity, time in physical activity, proportion of time in bouts and frequency of bouts decreased. 61% of patients fulfilled the recommended physical activity guidelines. In conclusion, COPD patients of all spirometric severity stages engage in physical activity bouts of moderate-to-vigorous intensities. Patients with severe and very severe COPD perform their daily activities in fewer and shorter bouts than those in mild and moderate stages.
authors.affiliation: Barcelona.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Donaire-Gonzalez
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gimeno-Santos
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Balcells
authors.forename: Diego A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Farrero
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Batlle
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benet
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: Joan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Barberà
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gea
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Roisin
authors.forename: Josep M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Antó
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garcia-Aymerich
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods; D009043:Motor Activity; D010641:Phenotype; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D013147:Spirometry / Q000379:methods; D014797:Vital Capacity