An Objective Assessment of the Value of Exercise Training to Patients with Chronic Obstructive Airways Disease

The value of a programme of graded exercise training was assessedin ten subjects with chronic obstructive airways disease. Assessmentswere made at two-weekly intervals during three twelve-week periods:before, during and after a period of training. During the trainingthe subjects were able to walk significantly further in a 12minute walking test. There was also a small but significantincrease in the forced expiratory volume in one second and thedifference between the values of total lung capacity estimatedby body plethysmography and those estimated by helium dilutionwas significantly smaller. The transfer factor for carbon monoxideincreased and was significantly greater in the period afterstopping the training. The difference between alveolar and arterialoxygen tensions at rest was smaller during the training period.The changes in the results of the 12 minute walking test, transferfactor and the oxygen tension difference were maintained inthe period after stopping the training. Despite the improvementsin some of the indices of respiratory function there were noimprovements in any of the indices of cardiorespiratory fitnesswhich may be because the subjects were incapable of undertakingsufficiently intense training. It is concluded that trainingis of some benefit to patients with chronic obstructive airwaysdisease but that the benefit may be greater in patients whoare less incapaciated and who are able to undertake a more strenuoustraining programme.