Effects of 12 weeks of aerobic training on autonomic modulation, mucociliary clearance, and aerobic parameters in patients with COPD

Figures & data

Figure 1 Flow diagram showing the participation of the patients in the study.

Figure 2 Time spent in each intensity zone during the 12 weeks of aerobic training.

Notes: Z1: 60% of VO_2peak for 50 minutes (continuous effort); Z2: 75% of VO_2peak for 30 minutes (continuous effort); Z3: five efforts lasting 3 minutes separated by 1 minute of passive recovery (interval effort).
Abbreviation: VO_2peak, peak oxygen uptake.

Table 1 Anthropometric data and pulmonary function of the assessed patients expressed in median (interquartile range 25%–75%)

	AT (n=10)	CG (n=6)	P-value
Age (years)	62 (60.25–69.25)	62.5 (57.25–70.5)	0.8543
Anthropometric
Height (cm)	165 (154.3–173)	165 (157–168.5)	0.9851
Weight (kg)	74.4 (64–87)	70.7 (65.25–78)	0.5102
BMI (kg·[m^2]^−1)	27.6 (21.83–32.54)	26.85 (23–30.88)	0.9578
Spirometrics
FEV1 (%pred)	55 (39–70)	45 (37.65–73.63)	0.8749
FVC (%pred)	78 (66.25–83.48)	86.61 (61.8–101.8)	0.7925
FEV1/FVC	56 (46.78–65.7)	48.1 (41.1–66.05)	0.5104

Abbreviations: AT, aerobic training group; CG, control group; BMI, body mass index; FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in the first second; FVC, forced vital capacity; (%pred), percentage of predicted values.

Table 2 Aerobic parameters of aerobic training group (AT) and control group (CG), observed at baseline (M0) and after 12 weeks (M1) expressed in median (interquartile range 25%–75%)

	AT (n=10)		CG (n=6)
	M0	M1	M0	M1
VO2peak (L·min^−1)	0.63 (0.4–1)	1.83 (1.3–2.7)*,**	0.56 (0.5–0.5)	0.6 (0.4–0.3)
VO2peak (mL·kg^−1·min^−1)	10 (6.2–13)	26.28 (14.9–33.6)*,**	7.7 (7.6–7.5)	7.9 (6.1–3.9)
vVO2peak (km·h^−1)	6 (4.2–6.4)	6.4 (5.2–7.5)*,**	4.8 (4.5–4.5)	4.5 (4–3.2)
GET (km·h^−1)	3.25 (2.6–3.5)	4.5 (3.1–4.9)*	3.0 (3–2.5)	3.0 (3–2.5)
GET (mL·kg^−1·min^−1)	0.34 (0.2–0.6)	0.9 (0.7–1.8)*,**	0.4 (0.3–0.3)	0.3 (0.3–0.2)

Notes:

* Significant difference between M0 and M1 (P<0.05);

** significant difference between AT and CG at M1.

Abbreviations: VO_2peak, peak oxygen uptake; vVO_2peak, velocity corresponding to VO_2peak; GET, gas exchange threshold.

Table 3 Heart rate variability indexes of aerobic training group (AT) and control group (CG), observed at baseline (M0) and after 12 weeks (M1) expressed in median (interquartile range 25%–75%)

	AT (n=10)		CG (n=6)
	M0	M1	M0	M1
SDNN (ms)	19.84±6.21	24.87±8.6	19.17±4.95	18.9±5.7
	20.35 (14.7–25.23)	25 (20.08–32.55)	18.9 (15.28–23.53)	19.25 (13.13–24.25)
RMSSD (ms)	14.15±5.69	18.28±6.22	13.47±7.89	15.02±8.12
	14.15 (9.15–20.3)	20.05 (13.73–22.98)	12.65 (7.1–16.88)	12.25 (10–20.78)
LF (ms^2)	146.1±118.9	177.7±125.6	130.7±49	101±40.36
	97.5 (56–237.8)	161.5 (79.5–267.8)	121 (86.5–174.5)	92.5 (71–125.8)
LF (nu)	67.47±15.96	58.48±13.62	69.65±19.8	66.43±16.36
	70.8 (55–79)	57.75 (52.8–70.4)	72.1 (49.4–87.83)	64.05 (52.03–83.25)
HF (ms^2)	62.3±46.84	113.2±62.19*	60.17±39.98	61.17±48.33
	49.5 (20–107.5)	109 (66.25–158.8)	69 (15.25–93)	53.5 (16.75–105.3)
HF (nu)	32.63±15.9	41.52±13.62	30.35±19.8	33.57±16.36
	29.7 (20.75–44.3)	42.25 (29.6–47.2)	27.9 (12.18–50.6)	35.95 (16.75–47.98)
LF/HF	2.9±2.2	1.62±0.77	4.5±4.79	2.91±2.43
	2.5 (1.2–3.8)	1.36 (1.12–2.37)	2.82 (0.98–7.97)	1.91 (1.09–5.14)

Note:

* Significant difference between M0 and M1 (P<0.05).

Abbreviations: SDNN, standard deviation of the mean of all normal RR intervals; RMSSD, root mean square of differences between adjacent normal RR intervals in a time interval; LF, spectral component of low frequency; HF, spectral component of high frequency; nu, normalized units.

Figure 3 Box plot of saccharin transit time (STT) test of the aerobic training group (AT) and the no-training control group (CG), observed at baseline (M0) and after 12 weeks (M1).