Exercise Capacity and Activities of Daily Living are Related in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

INTRODUCTION

The knowledge of the relationship between exercise capacity and activities of daily living (ADLs) is important to minimize the negative outcomes in ADLs resulting from reduced exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There is a limited study about the association between exercise capacity and ADLs in patients with COPD. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between maximal exercise capacity and ADLs in patients with GOLD stage II-III COPD.

METHODS

Twenty-seven clinically stable GOLD stage II-III COPD patients were included (mean age=58.59±9.63 years and mean FEV=50.6±13.7%) in this cross-sectional study. Maximal and submaximal exercise capacity were evaluated using an incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT) and 6-min walk test (6MWT), respectively. Activities of daily living were assessed using Glittre-ADL test.

RESULTS

The ISWT distance was significantly correlated with Glittre-ADL test time (r=-0.517, p=0.006). There was also a negative correlation between 6MWT distance and Glittre-ADL test time (r=-0.506, p=0.007).

CONCLUSION

A moderate relationship was found between maximal exercise capacity and general activities of daily living performance. The reduction in exercise capacity increases the negative influences in ADLs and strengthens our beliefs that exercise interventions in pulmonary rehabilitation could influence activities of daily living positively.