Abstract
Background: Although patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are known to be physically inactive, we hypothesized that those living alone are less inactive in daily life than patients living with family in order to maintain their functional needs.
Objective: To compare the physical activities in daily life between patients with COPD either living alone or with their families.
Methods: Physical activities in daily life were evaluated in 10 patients living alone (4 male, 64 [61-68] years, FEV1 39 [26-62]%pred, BMI 23 [21-30] kg m-2) and 10 paired patients living with their families (4 male, 66 [61-71] years, FEV1 41 [30-49]%pred, BMI 22 [20-29] kg m-2) using a multiaxial accelerometer (MiniMod, McRoberts, the Netherlands) during 12 hours/day for two consecutive weekdays. Other measurements were: spirometry, respiratory and peripheral muscle force (maximal respiratory pressures [MIP and MEP] and quadriceps one-repetition maximum test [1RM], respectively) and functional exercise capacity (6-minute walk test, 6MWT).
Results: The two groups had similar 6MWT, MIP, MEP and quadriceps 1RM. Time spent walking/day was 71 [37-112] min/day in patients living alone and 49 [19-80] min/day in patients living with their families (p=0.129). Moreover, patients living with their families tended to spend more time lying/day (143 [112-244] vs. 87 [48-177] min/day, p=0.093).
Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that patients with COPD living alone are more active in daily life than patients living with their families, despite presenting similar functional exercise capacity and muscle force. This might implicate in a different treatment approach in patients living alone or with family.
- © 2011 ERS
