Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
4212162 Respiratory Medicine 2006 9 Pages PDF
Abstract

SummaryThe aim of the study was to determine whether 16 sessions of exercise training, completed twice weekly, alters exercise capacity, quadriceps muscle metabolism, cross-sectional area (CSA) and strength in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We studied (a) 10 COPD subjects (mean age±sem=71±2 years; FEV1=0.99±0.1 L) before and after 16 sessions of exercise training, and (b) 10 healthy subjects (age=68±3 years). The COPD subjects underwent an incremental peak exercise test using a cycle ergometer and a 6-min walk test: both improved following exercise training (P<0.05P<0.05). Magnetic resonance spectroscopy measurements, in quadriceps muscle, of post-exercise phosphocreatinine (PCr) recovery kinetics were used to assess mitochondrial function in vivo: in the COPD subjects pre-training this was 19±8% lower than in healthy subjects (P=0.03P=0.03), but a 38±12% increase was seen in the COPD subjects following training (P=0.003P=0.003). Magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess quadriceps CSA: after training in the COPD subjects this showed a 7±2% increase (P=0.03P=0.03). Quadriceps strength, measured by the best of five maximum voluntary contractions, also showed a 32±11% increase in the COPD subjects (P=0.007P=0.007). Sixteen sessions of exercise training, performed twice weekly, increased exercise capacity as well as quadriceps mitochondrial capacity, CSA and strength in the subjects with COPD.

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