title: Pedometers to enhance physical activity in COPD: a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: Physical inactivity is a cardinal feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Pedometers, which have been used in healthy populations, might also increase physical activity in patients with COPD. COPD patients taking part in a 3-month individualised programme to promote an increase in their daily physical activity were randomised to either a standard programme of physical activity encouragement alone, or a pedometer-based programme. Assessments were performed by investigators blinded to treatment allocation. Change in average 1-week daily step count, 6-min walking distance (6MWD), modified Medical Research Council scale, St George's respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ) and COPD assessment test (CAT) were compared between groups. 102 patients were recruited, of whom 97 completed the programme (pedometer group: n=50; control group: n=47); 60.8% were male with a mean±sd age of 68.7±8.5 years, and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) 66.1±19.4% and FEV1/forced vital capacity 55.2±9.5%. Both groups had comparable characteristics at baseline. The pedometer group had significantly greater improvements in: physical activity 3080±3254 steps·day(-1) versus 138.3±1950 steps·day(-1) (p<0.001); SGRQ -8.8±12.2 versus -3.8±10.9 (p=0.01); CAT score -3.5±5.5 versus -0.6±6.6 (p=0.001); and 6MWD 12.4±34.6 versus -0.7±24.4 m (p=0.02) than patients receiving activity encouragement only. A simple physical activity enhancement programme using pedometers can effectively improve physical activity level and quality of life in COPD patients.
authors.affiliation: Sección Neumología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile lmendoza08@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.affiliation: Sección Neumología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Horta
authors.affiliation: Sección Neumología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Espinoza
authors.affiliation: Sección Neumología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aguilera
authors.affiliation: Sección Neumología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Nicolás
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balmaceda
authors.affiliation: Sección Neumología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Sección Neumología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Orlando
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health Research Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, Imperial College, London, UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Hopkinson
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000368:Aged; D002677:Chile; D015444:Exercise; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking