TY - JOUR T1 - Where are they now? Four years after the completion of a maintenance exercise program in people with COPD JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 40 IS - Suppl 56 SP - P488 AU - Lissa Spencer AU - Zoe Mckeough AU - Jennifer Alison Y1 - 2012/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P488.abstract N2 - Introduction: To determine if quality of life and exercise capacity had been maintained four years after the completion of a12-months maintenance exercise program (MEP) that followed an eight-week pulmonary rehabilitation program (PRP), in people with COPD.Methods: At the completion of the 12 month MEP, participants had maintained exercise capacity and quality of life and were instructed to continue with unsupervised exercise without further follow-up. Four years later participants were invited to be reassessed with spirometry, two six-minute walk tests (6MWT), St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and the Health and Activity Survey (HAAS). Daily Physical Activity (PA) was also measured using the SenseWear Pro 3 armband.Results: Thirty-seven of the 48 (79%) who completed the MEP were reassessed at four years [mean (SD): age 70 (8); males 22; BMI 26 (6); smokers 14%]. Results compared to the end of the MEP [mean difference (95%CI)] showed a maintenance of SGRQ [2.5 (-4 to 9), p=0.43] with a decline in 6MWT [-56m (-25 to -86) p<0 .001] and FEV1% predicted [-8 (-4 to -12), p<0.001]. The HAAS showed that 64% reported performing regular exercise and 71% were physically active. For 22 participants (60%) who wore the armband the daily step count and time spent at or above a moderate level of physical activity (≥ 3 METS) was mean (SD) 5,522 steps (3,603) and 65 (62) minutes per day, respectively.Conclusion: Four years following a PRP plus a12-month MEP people with COPD had maintained quality of life but showed a significant decline in exercise capacity. ER -