OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of nutritional state on cardiopulmonary exercise performance of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.METHODS: 43 COPD patients and 20 healthy controls performed incremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing with cycle ergometer. Nutritional assessment and routine lung function studies were performed in all subjects before testing.RESULTS: (1) Compared with the normally nourished COPD group, the malnourished group showed greater reduction in Wmax, VO(2)max, O(2)pulsemax, and AT (P < 0.05), whereas VO(2)/W/V(E) and DImax were higher in the malnourished group (P < 0.05). (2) IBW% was positively correlated with VO(2)max, Wmax, O(2)pulsemax, AT (r = 0.696, 0.432, 0.717, 0.822, P < 0.01), and negatively correlated with DImax and VO(2)/W/V(E) (r = -0.450, -0.640, P < 0.01) in COPD patients.CONCLUSION: Malnutrition adversely affected muscle aerobic capacity and exercise tolerance in COPD patients.
Adult Exercise Test