Home-based Exercise Training for COPD Patients

Effects of a Long-term Home-based Exercise Training Program Using Minimal Equipment vs. Usual Care in COPD Patients: a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a home-based exercise training program in COPD patients who have completed a pulmonary rehabilitation.

Exercise training is an important component of the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and numerous trials have shown large improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and exercise capacity in persons with COPD. However, the great majority of patients who would benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) never follow such a program. Moreover, many COPD patients are either not instructed to exercise at all or fail to adhere to exercise training at home after completing pulmonary rehabilitation.

This study evaluates an exercise training program that requires minimal equipment (i.e., only a chair and elastic bands) and can be easily implemented long-term in the patient's home-setting.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Signed informed consent after being informed
• Diagnosis of COPD, defined as forced expiratory volume in 1s/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC)<70% predicted, FEV1<80 % predicted after bronchodilation, with or without chronic symptoms (cough, sputum production) corresponding to a GOLD stage II-IV
• Completion of an inpatient or outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation not longer than 1 months ago
• Male and female patients ≥40 years of age
• Knowledge of German language to understand study material and assessments

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients not able to conduct the exercise training program due to physical, cognitive or safety reasons, as judged by investigator; e.g., lower limb joint surgery within preceding 3 months, unstable cardiac disease, predominant neurological limitations.