Eccentric Cycle Exercise in Severe COPD: Feasibility of Application

Figures & data

Figure 1  ECC power (black squares) was progressively increased over the course of 5 weeks, while heart rate (presented as % peak achieved in the incremental peak CON exercise test) measured during a 10-minute steady state ECC exercise remained fairly constant (p > 0.05). The target intensity (not shown) corresponding to 60% peak CON

was achieved between 3 and 5 weeks for all patients. Data for each week represent the average of up to 3 exercise sessions per patient. Error bars = 1 SD. * = Different from Week 1; † = Different from Week 2; ♮ = Different from Week 3. # = Different from week 4 (p < 0.05, Friedman for repeated measurements).

Table 1  Patient group mean ± standard deviation of serum creatine kinase levels, muscle soreness, leg fatigue and dyspnea measured each week

	Week
Measurement	1	2	3	4	5
CK (U.L^−1)*	118 ± 51	110 ± 77	116 ± 35	121 ± 67	113 ± 42
Muscle soreness (VAS 0–10)	1.2±2.1	1.7 ± 2.1	2.1 ± 2.3	2.2 ± 2.3	1.6 ± 1.8
Leg fatigue (Borg 0–10)	0.9 ± 0.9	1.8 ± 1.7	2.6 ± 2.1	2.9 ± 2.0	2.8 ± 2.0
Dyspnea (Borg 0–10)	0.7 ± 0.7	1.3 ± 1.4	1.8 ± 1.5	2.2 ± 2.0	1.7 ± 1.7

CK: Creatine Kinase; VAS: Visual Analog Scale.

*Normal reference range: 5–140 U.L⁻¹