RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Late-breaking abstract: Efficacy of relaxation posture in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP p3641 VO 38 IS Suppl 55 A1 Tomomi Ichiba A1 Tetsuo Miyagawa A1 Takeshi Kera A1 Toru Tsuda A1 Fumio Kokubu YR 2011 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p3641.abstract AB Background: Relaxation postures are recommended to reduce the work of breathing and dyspnea in patients with COPD. Semi-fowler position, forward-leaning posture and orthopnea position are used efficiently. However, it is not clear that the effects of these positions in reducing dyspnea and work of breathing in patients with COPD.The purpose of this study is to clarify efficacy of relaxation posture.Method: Thirty-eight stable outpatients with COPD participated in the study. We measured mouth occlusion pressure (P0.1), VCO2, VO2, tidal volume, heart rate variability and degree of relaxation used by visual analogue scale (VAS) in quiet breathing at sitting, forward-leaning sitting and semi-fowler position. We also measured pulmonary function and maximal inspiratory pressure (PImax). We analyzed these data depend on GOLD classification. Data analysis was performed by using sof tware SPSS Statistics 17.0.Results: The following respiratory function in 38 patients were FVC 2.86±1.08L, FEV 1.0 1.40±0.76L, FEV1.0% 48.6±14.3%, %FEV1.0 52.2±23.3%, FRC 3.84±1.24L, RV 2.96±0.95, PImax 58±22.7cmH2O.There were no significant differences in P0.1 and P0.1/PImax among each position. However, VAS in semi-fowler position was more reduced than sitting on multiple comparison (p<0.05). In the GOLD classification, P0.1 on forward-leaning sitting significantly increased in stage4 compared stage1 and stage2 (p<0.01) and also P0.1/PImax on every position significantly increased in stage4 compared stage1 and stage2 (p<0.01).Conclusions: Semi-fowler position may be most effective to reduce respiratory output of and dyspnea in patients with COPD.