PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Vanfleteren, Lowie
AU  - Spruit, Martijn
AU  - Franssen, Frits
AU  - Boorsma, Martin
AU  - Roodt, Jos Op't
AU  - Groenen, Miriam
AU  - Wouters, Emiel
TI  - Effects of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) on arterial stiffness in patients with COPD: The CIROCO study
DP  - 2011 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - p1224
VI  - 38
IP  - Suppl 55
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p1224.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p1224.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2011 Sep 01; 38
AB  - Background: Arterial stiffness, a strong predictor of cardiovascular mortality, is increased in patients with COPD. The effects of PR on arterial stiffness have been studied scarcely.Methods: Pulmonary function, 6MWD, BMI, SGRQ, mMRC dyspnea score, aortic pulse wave velocity (APWV), brachial pulse wave velocity (BPWV) and pulse wave analysis (SphygmoCor; AtCor Medical, Sydney, Australia) were determined in 102 patients (35 female; age: 64±7 years, FEV1%: 53±17) with clinically stable COPD, prior and subsequently to a 35-session PR program including high-intensity interval and resistance training.Results: 6MWD (+31,3±55,4m; p<0.001), mMRC score (-0,5±0,9; p<0,001), SGRQ (-2,4±11,8, p=0.011) and BMI (+0.4±1,4 kg/m2, p=0.006) all improved, compared to baseline. Overall there were no changes in APWV, BPWV, central blood pressure and augmentation index (AI), while central and peripheral pulse pressure (PP) increased slightly. Peripheral PP increased due to a modest but significant reduction in peripheral diastolic blood pressure (DP). Also a significant, but clinically irrelevant reduction in heart rate (HR) was seen.View this table:Conclusion: On average, pulmonary rehabilitation does not reduce arterial stiffness in patients with COPD.