title: Factors associated with low physical activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Low physical activity (PA) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with poor prognosis. In addition, physical activity seems to be low early in the disease. The aim of this study was to describe the level of PA in patients with stable COPD and to explore factors associated with low PA, with a focus on fatigue, symptom burden and body composition
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study, 101 patients (52 women) with COPD were classified having low, moderate or high PA according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short. Fatigue, dyspnoea, depression and anxiety, symptom burden, body composition, physical capacity (lung function, exercise capacity, muscle strength), exacerbation rate and systemic inflammation were assessed. A multiple logistic regression was used to identify independent associations with low PA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age was 68 (±7) years, and mean percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second was 50 (±16.5). Forty-two patients reported a low PA level, while 34 moderate and 25 reported high levels. Factors independently associated with low PA, presented as odds ratio (95% confidence interval), were severe fatigue 5.87 (1.23-28.12), exercise capacity 0.99 (0.99-1.0) and the number of pack-years 1.04 (1.01-1.07). No relationship was found between depression, anxiety, body composition, exacerbation rate or systemic inflammation and PA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe fatigue, worse exercise capacity and a higher amount of smoking were independently associated with low PA. Promoting physical activity is important in all patients with COPD. Our result suggests that patients with severe fatigue might need specific strategies to prevent physical inactivity.
authors: Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden.|Department of Respiratory Medicine and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors: Kristina
authors: K
authors: Tödt
authors: Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors: Elisabeth
authors: E
authors: Skargren
authors: Department of Respiratory Medicine and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors: Per
authors: P
authors: Jakobsson
authors: Department of Health Sciences, Nursing, Faculty of Health, Science and Technology, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden.
authors: Kersti
authors: K
authors: Theander
authors: Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden.
authors: Mitra
authors: M
authors: Unosson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005221:Fatigue; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: body composition; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; exercise tolerance; fatigue; physical activity; symptom burden