title: Effect of Structured Physical Activity on Respiratory Outcomes in Sedentary Elderly Adults with Mobility Limitations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of structured physical activity on respiratory outcomes in community-dwelling elderly adults with mobility limitations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicenter, randomized trial of physical activity vs health education, with respiratory variables prespecified as tertiary outcomes over an intervention period of 24-42 months. Physical activity included walking (goal of 150 min/week) and strength, flexibility, and balance training. Health education included workshops on topics relevant to older adults and upper extremity stretching exercises.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lifestyle Interventions and Independence in Elders (LIFE) Study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-dwelling persons aged 70-89 with Short Physical Performance Battery scores less than 10 (N = 1,635).
  
  
  METHODS
  Dyspnea severity (defined as moderate to severe according to a Borg index >2 immediately after a 400-m walk), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) (<lower limit of normal (LLN) defined low breathing capacity), and maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) (<LLN defined respiratory muscle weakness) were assessed at baseline and 6, 18, and 30 months. Hospitalization for exacerbation of obstructive airways disease (EOAD) and pneumonia was also ascertained over the 42-month follow-up period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The randomized groups were similar in baseline demographics, including mean age (79) and sex (67% female). The effect of physical activity on dyspnea severity, FEV1, and MIP was no different from that of health education but was associated with higher likelihood of respiratory hospitalization, significantly for EOAD (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.19-4.61, P = .01) and marginally for pneumonia (HR = 1.54, 95% CI = 0.98-2.42, P = .06).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In older persons with mobility limitations, physical activity was associated with higher likelihood of respiratory hospitalization than health education, but differences in dyspnea severity, FEV1, and MIP did not accompany this effect-indicating that higher hospital use could be attributable to greater participant contact.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Connecticut, West Haven, Connecticut.|Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Vaz Fragoso
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistical Sciences, School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Beavers
authors.affiliation: Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Anton
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Christine K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Mary M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Anne B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.affiliation: Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pahor
authors.affiliation: Stanford Prevention Research Center, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California.
authors.forename: Randall S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Stafford
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Gill
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D015444:Exercise; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000209:etiology; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D034941:Upper Extremity; D016138:Walking
keywords: FEV1; MIP; dyspnea; exercise; hospitalization