Oxygen consumption (V?O2) kinetics during recovery after resistance exercises in COPD and matched controls

Abstract

Introduction: V̇O2 kinetics during post-exercise recovery has been widely studied in healthy individuals but is less studied in COPD, especially during resistance exercises.

Method: We analyzed recovery periods during low load/high repetition resistance exercises (LLHR-RT) in people with COPD (n=20, FEV1 38% pred) and age- and sex-matched controls (n=15). Biceps curls and leg extensions were performed until failure in three sets with 60 seconds of rest between sets. V̇O2 (L/min) was collected breath by breath by a portable gas analysis system. A nonlinear regression model [V̇O2 = c*(Time + 1)(Θ + k) * exp(-Θ*Time)] was fitted to the data where c is the estimated value of V̇O2 at the end of the sets, ĸ describes the shape of the recuperation curve, and Θ is a scale parameter giving information on the recovery speed.

Results: During biceps curls, V̇O2 at the end of the sets (c), the shape of the recuperation curve (k) as well as the V̇O2 at the end of recovery (Θ) was different between COPD and controls, all p<0.05 (

Fig 1A). During leg extensions, the same pattern was seen, however, without statistically significant differences (Fig 1C).

Conclusion: From a clinical perspective, these data suggest that current recommendations (1min of rest between sets) during LLHR-RT might be insufficient in COPD to enable full V̇O2 recovery, thus, potentially limiting exercise capacity in the next set/exercise.

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