Aerobic exercise training improves autonomic nervous control in patients with COPD - 07/08/11
Summary |
Objectives |
Autonomic modulation is adversely impacted in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The purpose of the present investigation is to assess the effects of a 6-week aerobic exercise training program on autonomic modulation of heart rate in patients with COPD.
Methods |
Forty patients of both sexes with moderate-to-severe COPD were randomly allocated to aerobic exercise training (PT, n=20) or to usual care (Control, n=20). The training program consisted of lower and upper limb stretching and 30min of treadmill exercise, 3 times per week for a 6-week period. Physiological data during symptom-limited exercise testing and the six-minute walk test (6MWT) were assessed. In addition, R–R intervals were obtained at rest and during the 6MWT. Heart rate variability was analyzed by time (rMSSD and SDNN index) and frequency domains (high frequency – HF, low frequency – LF and HF/LF ratio).
Results |
Peak oxygen consumption significantly improved in the training group only (p<0.05). Moreover, the training group demonstrated significant improvements (p<0.05) in blood lactate, minute ventilation, dyspnea at peak exercise, sympathetic activity, and parasympathetic activity at rest and during submaximal exercise. Lastly, a positive and significant correlation was found between change in 6MWT distance and rMSSD index (r=0.65 and p=0.001).
Conclusions |
Neural control of heart rate, in addition to other clinically valuable measures, is positively altered in moderate–severe COPD patients following 6 weeks of aerobic exercise training. The improvement in submaximal performance after exercise training was associated with parasympathetic activity.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Keywords : Pulmonary disease, Exercise, Autonomic nervous system, Six-minute walking test
Plan
Vol 103 - N° 10
P. 1503-1510 - octobre 2009 Retour au numéroDéjà abonné à cette revue ?