Patterns of Physical Activity Progression in Patients With COPD

Real-world walking cadence in people with COPD

Introduction

The clinical validity of real-world walking cadence in people with COPD is unsettled. Our objective was to assess the levels, variability and association with clinically relevant COPD characteristics and outcomes of real-world walking cadence.

Methods

We assessed walking cadence (steps per minute during walking bouts longer than 10 s) from 7 days' accelerometer data in 593 individuals with COPD from five European countries, and clinical and functional characteristics from validated questionnaires and standardised tests. Severe exacerbations during a 12-month follow-up were recorded from patient reports and medical registries.

Results

Participants were mostly male (80%) and had mean±sd age of 68±8 years, post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) of 57±19% predicted and walked 6880±3926 steps·day-1. Mean walking cadence was 88±9 steps·min-1, followed a normal distribution and was highly stable within-person (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.92, 95% CI 0.90-0.93). After adjusting for age, sex, height and number of walking bouts in fractional polynomial or linear regressions, walking cadence was positively associated with FEV1, 6-min walk distance, physical activity (steps·day-1, time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, vector magnitude units, walking time, intensity during locomotion), physical activity experience and health-related quality of life and negatively associated with breathlessness and depression (all p<0.05). These associations remained after further adjustment for daily steps. In negative binomial regression adjusted for multiple confounders, walking cadence related to lower number of severe exacerbations during follow-up (incidence rate ratio 0.94 per step·min-1, 95% CI 0.91-0.99, p=0.009).

Conclusions

Higher real-world walking cadence is associated with better COPD status and lower severe exacerbations risk, which makes it attractive as a future prognostic marker and clinical outcome.

Effects of ActiGraph's filter, epoch length and non-wearing time algorithm on step counts in people with COPD

The influence of the ActiGraph® processing criteria on estimating step counts in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains uncertain. This study aimed to assess the influence of filters, epoch lengths and non-wearing time (NWT) algorithms on steps/day in people with COPD. ActiGraph GT3X+ was worn on the waist for seven days. Steps were detected using different filters (normal and low-frequency extension [LFE]), epoch lengths (15s and 60s), and NWT algorithms (Choi and Troiano). Linear mixed-effects model was applied to assess the effects of filter, epoch length, NWT algorithm on steps/day. Lin's concordance correlation and Bland-Altman were used to measure agreement. A total of 136 people with COPD (107 male; 69 ± 8 years; FEV1 51 ± 17% predicted) were included. Significant differences were found between filters (p < 0.001), but not between epoch lengths or NWT algorithms. The LFE increased, on average, approximately 7500 steps/day compared to the normal filter (p < 0.001). Agreement was poor (<0.3) and proportional bias was significant when comparing steps/day computed with different filters, regardless of the epoch length and NWT algorithm. Filter choice but not epoch lengths or NWT algorithms seem to impact measurement of steps/day. Future studies are needed to recommend the most accurate technique for measuring steps/day in people with COPD.

Listening to the patients' voice: a conceptual framework of the walking experience

BACKGROUND

walking is crucial for an active and healthy ageing, but the perspectives of individuals living with walking impairment are still poorly understood.

OBJECTIVES

to identify and synthesise evidence describing walking as experienced by adults living with mobility-impairing health conditions and to propose an empirical conceptual framework of walking experience.

METHODS

we performed a systematic review and meta-ethnography of qualitative evidence, searching seven electronic databases for records that explored personal experiences of walking in individuals living with conditions of diverse aetiology. Conditions included Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hip fracture, heart failure, frailty and sarcopenia. Data were extracted, critically appraised using the NICE quality checklist and synthesised using standardised best practices.

RESULTS

from 2,552 unique records, 117 were eligible. Walking experience was similar across conditions and described by seven themes: (i) becoming aware of the personal walking experience, (ii) the walking experience as a link between individuals' activities and sense of self, (iii) the physical walking experience, (iv) the mental and emotional walking experience, (v) the social walking experience, (vi) the context of the walking experience and (vii) behavioural and attitudinal adaptations resulting from the walking experience. We propose a novel conceptual framework that visually represents the walking experience, informed by the interplay between these themes.

CONCLUSION

a multi-faceted and dynamic experience of walking was common across health conditions. Our conceptual framework of the walking experience provides a novel theoretical structure for patient-centred clinical practice, research and public health.

Discriminant Validity of a Single Clinical Question for the Screening of Inactivity in Individuals Living with COPD

Introduction

Quantifying physical activity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with questionnaires and activity monitors in clinical practice is challenging. The aim of the present study was to analyse the discriminant validity of a single clinical question for the screening of inactive individuals living with COPD.

Methods

A multicentre study was carried out in stable COPD individuals both in primary and tertiary care. Patients wore the Dynaport accelerometer for 8 days and then answered 5 physical activity questions developed for the study, referring to the week in which their physical activity was monitored. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis with physical activity level (PAL) as the gold standard reference was used to determine the best cut-off point for each of the 5 clinical physical activity questions tested.

Results

A total of 86 COPD participants were analysed (males 68.6%; mean (SD) age 66.6 (8.5) years; FEV₁ 50.9 (17.3)% predicted; mean of 7305 (3906) steps/day). Forty-two (48.8%) participants were considered physically inactive (PAL ≤1.69). Answers to 4 out of 5 questions significantly differed in active vs inactive patients. The Kappa index and ROC curves showed that the answer to the question "On average, how many minutes per day do you walk briskly?" had the best discriminative capacity for inactivity, with an area under the curve (AUC) (95% Confidence interval (CI)) of 0.73 (0.63-0.84) and 30 min/day was identified as the best cut-off value (sensitivity (95% CI): 0.75 (0.60-0.87); specificity: 0.76 (0.61-0.88)).

Conclusion

The present results indicate that self-reported brisk walk time lower than 30 min/day may be a valid tool for the screening of inactivity in individuals living with COPD in routine care, if more detailed physical activity measures are not feasible.

Exercise capacity and physical activity in COPD patients treated with a LAMA/LABA combination: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Persistent airflow limitation and dyspnoea may reduce chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients exercise capacity and physical activity, undermining their physical status and quality of life. Long-acting muscarinic antagonists and long-acting beta-2 agonists (LAMA/LABA) combinations are amongst moderate-to-severe COPD recommended treatments. This article analyses LAMA/LABA combinations effect on COPD patients exercise capacity and physical activity outcomes.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis of double-blind randomized controlled trials comparing LAMA/LABA combinations against monotherapy or placebo was conducted.

RESULTS

Seventeen articles were identified (N = 4041 patients). In endurance shuttle walk test and constant work rate cycle ergometry, LAMA/LABA combinations obtained better results than placebo, but not monotherapy, whereas in 6-min walking test, results favoured LAMA/LABA over monotherapy (four studies), but not over placebo (one study). Moreover, LAMA/LABA combinations obtained better results than placebo in number of steps per day, reduction in percentage of inactive patients and daily activity-related energy expenditure, and better than monotherapy when measuring time spent on ≥ 1.0-1.5, ≥ 2.0 and ≥ 3.0 metabolic equivalents of task activities.

CONCLUSIONS

LAMA/LABA combinations in COPD patients provided better results than monotherapy or placebo in most exercise capacity and physical activity outcomes.

Telemonitoring of daily activities compared to the six-minute walk test further completes the puzzle of oximetry-guided interventions

Pulmonary rehabilitation is based on a thorough patient assessment, including peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂) and heart rate (HR) at rest and on exertion. To understand whether exercise-field tests identify patients who desaturate (SpO₂ < 90%) during physical activities, this study compared the six-minute walk test (6MWT) and daily-life telemonitoring. Cross-sectional study including 100 patients referred for pulmonary rehabilitation. The 6MWT was performed in hospital with continuous assessment of SpO₂, HR, walked distance and calculated metabolic equivalent of tasks (METs). Patients were also evaluated in real-life by SMARTREAB telemonitoring, a combined oximetry-accelerometery with remote continuous assessment of SpO₂, HR and METs. SMARTREAB telemonitoring identified 24% more desaturators compared with the 6MWT. Moreover, there were significant mean differences between 6MWT and SMARTREAB in lowest SpO₂ of 7.2 ± 8.4% (P < 0.0005), in peak HR of - 9.3 ± 15.5% (P < 0.0005) and also in activity intensity of - 0.3 ± 0.8 METs (P < 0.0005). The 6MWT underestimates the proportion of patients with exercise-induced oxygen desaturation compared to real-life telemonitoring. These results help defining oximetry-guided interventions, such as telemedicine algorithms, oxygen therapy titration and regular physical activity assessment in pulmonary rehabilitation.

Step-Up and Step-Down Treatment Approaches for COPD: A Holistic View of Progressive Therapies

Recent advances in inhaled drugs and a clearer definition of the disease have made the task of managing COPD more complex. Different proposals have been put forward which combine all the available treatments and the different clinical presentations in an effort to select the best therapeutic options for each clinical context. As COPD is a chronic progressive disease, the escalation of therapy has traditionally been considered the most natural way to tackle it. However, the notion of COPD as a constantly progressing disease has recently been challenged and, in specific areas, this points to the possibility of a de-escalation in treatment. In this context, the clinician requires simple, specific recommendations to guide these changes in treatment in their daily clinical practice. To accomplish this, the first step must be a correct evaluation and an accurate initial preliminary diagnosis of the patient's condition. Thereafter, the first escalation in therapy must be introduced with caution as the disease progresses, since clinical trials are not designed with clinical decision-making in mind. During this escalation, three possibilities are open to change the current treatment for a different one within the same family, to increase non-pharmacological interventions or to increase the pharmacological therapies. Beyond that point, a patient with persistent symptoms represents a complex clinical scenario which requires a specialized approach, including the evaluation of different respiratory and non-respiratory comorbidities. Unfortunately, there are few de-escalation studies available, and these are mainly observational in nature. The debate on de-escalation in pharmacological treatment, therefore, involves two main discussion points: the withdrawal of bronchodilators and the withdrawal of inhaled steroids. Altogether, the scheme for modifying treatment must be more personalized than just adding molecules, and the therapeutic response and its conditioning factors should be evaluated at each step before proceeding further.

Exacerbations and Changes in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour in Patients with Bronchiectasis after 1 Year

Background: Low physical activity and high sedentary behaviour in patients with bronchiectasis are associated with hospitalisation over one year. However, the factors associated with longitudinal changes in physical activity and sedentary behaviour have not been explored. We aimed to identify clinical and sociodemographic characteristics related to a change in physical activity and sedentary behaviour in patients with bronchiectasis after one year. Methods: This was a prospective observational study during which physical activity measurements were recorded using a SenseWear Armband for one week at baseline and at one year. At each assessment point, patients were classified as active or inactive (measured as steps per day) and as sedentary or not sedentary (measured as sedentary time). Results: 53 patients with bronchiectasis were analysed, and after one year, 18 (34%) had worse activity and sedentary levels. Specifically, 10 patients became inactive and sedentary. Multivariable analysis showed that the number of exacerbations during the follow-up period was the only outcome independently associated with change to higher inactivity and sedentary behaviour (odds ratio (OR), 2.19; 95% CI, 1.12 to 4.28). Conclusions: The number of exacerbations in patients with bronchiectasis was associated with changes in physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Exacerbation prevention may appear as a key factor in relation to physical activity and sedentary behaviour in patients with bronchiectasis.