NCT01354067

Single Limb Resistance Training in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Effects of High-repetitive Single Limb Training on Exercise Capacity and Quality of Life in Patients With COPD Compared to a Control Group - A Prospective, Single Blind, Randomized Controlled Multicenter Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 44 (actual)
• Sponsor: Umeå University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 40 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The chronic airflow limitation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients resulting in increased dyspnea during physical activity restricts many COPD patients ability to perform exercises in general and whole-body exercises in particular. Single limb training performed as one-legged cycling has been shown effective in patients with COPD. This exercise regime results in less stress on the ventilatory system as training is executed using a simultaneously smaller muscle mass. However, the positive physiological effects of exercise training only occur in the involved muscle(s). To be of benefit for patients daily life, all relevant muscles should be included in exercise training. The aim of the current randomized controlled multicenter trial (RCT) is to determine the effects of high-repetitive single limb exercises (HRSLE) in combination with COPD specific patient education, compared to the COPD specific patient education alone in patients with moderate to very severe (stage II-IV) COPD.

Detailed description

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality in the world. It is one of our most common chronic diseases and up to 700.000 people is estimated to suffer from COPD in Sweden. Exercise intolerance is the key disabling factor in COPD, with decreased exercise capacity, leg fatigue and dyspnea among the most frequently reported symptoms. Different training modalities have been evaluated to uncover the most effective way of training patients with COPD. Traditionally research has used whole-body, or major muscle mass training regimes when investigating the effect of both endurance and resistance in COPD patients. However recent research have demonstrated positive effects using training regimes involving a simultaneous smaller muscle mass compared to traditional exercise. The concept of using this regime is to put less stress on the ventilator system when exercising to minimize the effect of the chronic airflow limitation and to enhance the ability to be able to exercise for this group of patients compared to traditional training using major muscle mass exercise regimes. Although recent research have shown positive effects of single limb training using one-legged cycling, one major limitation is that only a small amount of important muscles for COPD patients are incorporated. Therefore, the aim of this study is to: (i) examine the effect of a single limb exercise regime on local muscle endurance, maximal strength, quality of life, dyspnea, walking capacity, self-efficacy, anxiety and depression, (ii) to examine if the physiological effects differ between man and women and (iii) to investigate if this exercise regime is feasible and safe to use for patients with COPD. Patients diagnosed with moderate to very severe COPD according to GOLD criteria will be randomly assigned to constitute either an exercise or control group The exercise group will participate in a high-repetitive single limb exercise regime, consisting of upper and lower limb exercises with elastic resistance, compromised of three sessions per week over a period of 8 weeks. The exercise regime will be performed in group at Umeå University Hospital of Northern Sweden, and at Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden supervised by experienced physiotherapists. Both the exercise and control group will receive four sessions of standardized patient education during the 8 week intervention period. After completion of the study, patients in the control group will be offered participation in the single limb exercise regime. The most important upper and lower extremity muscles for COPD patients are identified and exercises are designed specific to each of these. The exercise regime consists of 8 exercises, 4 upper extremity and 4 lower extremity exercises. Starting position and performance of the exercises are standardized and the resistance individually adjusted and progressed according to rated dyspnea and muscle fatigue. Before and after the 8 week intervention period the following information will be collected. Effects on maximal strength, muscular endurance, dyspnea, self-efficacy, anxiety and depression. The relationship between changes in health related variables and changes in exercise capacity, sex related differences in training effects, feasibility of the program, strategies to determine adequate starting resistance and provide accurate resistance for each involved movement and the relationship between muscle fatigue and dyspnea in the different exercise tests will also be analyzed.

Conditions

• Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Control group	The control group receives standardized patient education four times, once every two weeks, during the eight week intervention period. Each session will last 60 minutes, consisting of information regarding anatomy, physiology, causes and mechanisms of COPD, drugs, nutrition, aids and energy saving procedures. The information is the same as for the intervention group, given at separate occasions.
BEHAVIORAL	High-repetitive single limb training	The high-repetitive single limb exercise regime consists of three sessions per week during eight weeks of exercise training, giving a total number of 24 sessions at each location (Umeå and Huddinge University hospitals). The exercise sessions are supervised and conducted by a physical therapist using a group format, six to eight participants in each group. Each session will span for 60 minutes, duration of the major components are: 10 min warm-up followed by 40 minutes of single limb training and 10min cool-down. In addition this experimental group also receives four sessions of patient education once every two week.

Timeline

• Start date: 2011-05-01
• Primary completion: 2012-05-01
• Completion: 2012-06-01
• First posted: 2011-05-16
• Last updated: 2012-06-21

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: Sweden