Relationship between exercise capacity and clinical measures in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Maryam Bakhshandeh Bavarsad1, Abdolali Shariati1, Esmail Eidani2*, Mahmud latifi31Department of Nursing, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
2Associated Prof. of pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
3Departments of Biostatistics, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between Minute Walk Distance Test (6MWT), dyspnea, quality of life and disease severity and to identify the predictors of 6MWT among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.A total of 36 patients (33 male, 3 female) with mild–to-very severe COPD participated in this study. The 6MWT was performed based on American Thorax Society’s protocol. The disease severity was evaluated using spirometery and the health related quality of life was assessed by Persian version of the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and the exertional dyspnea was measured by Borg score. The data were analyzed using the Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient, Spearman’s correlation coefficient and Multivariate linear regression assessments.The 6MWT correlated positively with FEV1 (r=0.36, p<0.05) and FVC (r=0.37, p<0.05), while there was no significant correlation between disease severity based on GOLD classification and 6MWT, also No statistically significant correlation was found between exertional dyspnea and 6MWT. A negative correlation was found between 6MWT and total score of QOL, activity and impact domain, respectively (r=-0.39, r=-0.44, r=-0.40, P<0.01). Multiple regression analysis indicated that the age was identified as independent predictor of the 6MWT.This study showed stronger relationship between 6MWT and HRQL (activity and impact) compared with the physiological measures of disease severity such as FEV1.
Keywords: Exercise capacity; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; 6 Minute Walk Distance Test Back to TOC