Breunung Lea, Roberts Mike
Department of General Medicine, Darent Valley Hospital, Dartford.
Br J Hosp Med (Lond). 2011 Jan;72(1):17-8, 20-1. doi: 10.12968/hmed.2011.72.1.17.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a systemic disease that includes significant adverse effects on muscle function, with varied changes to the structure and metabolism of the peripheral muscles. This review evaluates the evidence for the mechanisms that mediate these changes and the significance of the diminished muscle function.