PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Daniela Bravo
AU  - Ana Gimenes
AU  - Beatriz Amorim
AU  - Maria Clara Alencar
AU  - J. Alberto Neder
AU  - Luiz Eduardo Nery
TI  - Enhancing tolerance to interval exercise in moderate-to-severe COPD
DP  - 2014 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - P632
VI  - 44
IP  - Suppl 58
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P632.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P632.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2014 Sep 01; 44
AB  - Interval exercise (IE) may improve tolerance and compliance to exercise training in ventilatory-limited patients with COPD. It is currently unclear, however, which parameter(s) is (are) the most relevant to maximize patients' tolerance to IE. Sixteen non-hypoxemic males with moderate-to-severe COPD underwent, on different days and in a randomized sequence, five cardiopulmonary exercise tests to the limit of tolerance (Tlim) or up to 30 min: a) a constant exercise (CE) test at 80% of the previously-determined peak work-rate (WR) and b) four 1:2 duty cycle IE tests (100% peak WR) in which both high-intensity exercise time (SHORT: 30 s, LONG: 60 s) and low-intensity exercise load (0 W or 40 W) varied. Tests were ranked according to Tlim: the frequency at which a given test was ranked the longest and the shortest defined a Tlim rank ratio. No patient tolerated the CE test for 30 min; in fact, this test was associated with the lowest Tlim and total work values (p<0.05). Despite greater Tlim, both SHORT-0 and LONG-0 were associated with less end-exercise blood lactate values. Tlim rank ratio confirmed that these tests were tolerated by at least 80% of the patients.p≤0.05: * vs. CWR; § vs.LONG-0; † vs. SHORT-40; ‡ vs. LONG-40In conclusion, tolerance to IE in patients with COPD can be further enhanced by avoiding loaded exercise in-between the high-intensity bouts. "Long" (60 s) and "short" (30 s) bouts are equally well tolerated by these patients.