Abstract
In COPD, arterial stiffness, a risk factor for cardiovascular events, has been reported to be increased due to physical inactivities. Some reports have suggested that exercise training may reduce this arterial stiffness. The present study was conducted to reveal the relationship between physical activity and the long-term changes in arterial stiffness in the symptomatic COPD patients. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (PWV), a marker of arterial stiffness, were repeatedly measured with forty-five COPD patients who had already received comprehensive respiratory rehabilitation due to exertional dyspnea in 3-6 months interval. During the interval, physical activity was measured with a triaxial accelerometer, and daily step count and physical activity level (PAL) were calculated in each patient. PWV of each patient was normalized by age and systemic blood pressure (%PWV) and the change of %PWV was expressed as the ratio of %PWVs measured before and after the interval. Median daily step count of the patients was 3594 (IQR 1322-6058) and median PAL was 1.27 (IQR 1.16-1.37). The change of %PWV showed a significant negative correlation with daily step count (r=-0.417, p=0.02), but not with PAL (p=0.11). These results suggest that changes in arterial stiffness of COPD patients suffering from exertional dyspnea are influenced by physical activity, and that daily step count can be a predictor of these changes.
- Copyright ©the authors 2016
