Stability and Predictors of Poor 6-min Walking Test Performance over 2 Years in Patients with COPD

Poor performance in the 6-min walk test (6MWT < 350 m) is an important prognostic indicator of mortality and risk of exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Little is known about the stability of this state over time and what factors might predict a poor 6MWT performance. To determine the stability of 6MWT performance over a 2-year period in COPD patients participating in annual medical follow-up visits, and to assess the ability of several clinical, pulmonary, and non-pulmonary factors to predict poor 6MWT performance, we prospectively included 137 patients with stable COPD (mean age, 66.9 ± 8.3 years). The 6MWT was scored at baseline and 2-year follow-up. To evaluate clinical, pulmonary, and non-pulmonary variables as potential predictors of poor 6MWT performance, we used multiple logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, weight, height, and 6MWT performance at baseline. Poor 6MWT performance was stable over 2 years for 67.4% of patients. Predictors of poor 6MWT performance included a five-repetition sit-to-stand test score ≤2 (OR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.22–7.42), the percentage of mobility activities with limitations (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00–1.07), and poor 6MWT performance at baseline (OR, 4.64; 95% CI, 1.88–11.43). Poor 6MWT performance status was stable for the majority of COPD patients. Lower scores on the five-repetition sit-to-stand test and a higher number of mobility activities with limitations were relevant predictors of poor 6MWT performance over 2 years. Prognostic models based on these non-pulmonary factors can provide non-inferior discriminative ability in comparison with prognostic models based on only pulmonary factors.

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Baseline determinants of 1-minute sit-to-stand test performance in COPD patients

10.1183/13993003.congress-2015.pa3713 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

Sarah Crook ◽

Anja Frei ◽

Tsung Yu ◽

Gerben Ter Riet ◽

Milo Puhan

Keyword(s):

Test Performance ◽

Stand Test ◽

Sit To Stand ◽

Copd Patients

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Sit-to-stand tests in patients hospitalised for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation: association with pulmonary function tests and risk of future exacerbations

International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation ◽

10.12968/ijtr.2019.0005 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 27 (12) ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Sotirios Kakavas ◽

Aggeliki Papanikolaou ◽

Steven Kompogiorgas ◽

Eleftherios Stavrinoudakis ◽

Evangelos Balis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Pulmonary Function ◽

Pulmonary Disease ◽

Test Performance ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Stand Test ◽

Performance Time ◽

Sit To Stand ◽

Acute Exacerbations

Background/Aims The sit-to-stand test is a quick and cost-effective measure of exercise tolerance and lower body strength. The literature focuses on its use in stable patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This study in patients hospitalised for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation aimed to investigate possible associations of the sit-to-stand test with pulmonary function and risk of future acute exacerbations. Methods This study was conducted on a sample of 22 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Participants' clinical details were recorded before they undertook spirometry, 30-second and five-repetition sit-to-stand tests. Participants were assessed via a structured telephone interview for the occurrence of acute exacerbation events in the 12 months following discharge. Results Patients were classified based on the presence or absence of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease over 12 months. A negative correlation was observed between five-repetition sit-to-stand test performance time and number of repetitions during the 30-second sit-to-stand test; longer sit-to-stand times and fewer repetitions were observed in patients who experienced exacerbations during follow up. The 30-second sit-to-stand test repetitions correlated positively with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). Five-repetition sit-to-stand test performance correlated negatively with FEV1, FEV1% predicted, forced vital capacity and FEV1/forced vital capacity ratio. From the various exercise parameters, five-repetition sit-to-stand test performance time demonstrated a moderate ability to predict exacerbations. Conclusions This study is the first to focus on the use of the sit-to-stand tests in inpatients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. There was a significant correlation between the 30-second sit-to-stand test and five-repetition sit-to-stand test results. Both tests were associated with pulmonary function indices and risk of future chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations.

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Effectiveness of Text Messaging as an Incentive to Maintain Physical Activity after Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18126645 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 6645

Author(s):

Giulia Foccardi ◽

Marco Vecchiato ◽

Daniel Neunhaeuserer ◽

Michele Mezzaro ◽

Giulia Quinto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Cardiac Rehabilitation ◽

Exercise Testing ◽

Text Messages ◽

Control Group ◽

Stand Test ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Sit To Stand ◽

Significant Difference

Although the efficacy of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is proven, the need to improve patients’ adherence has emerged. There are only a few studies that have investigated the effect of sending text messages after a CR period to stimulate subjects’ ongoing engagement in regular physical activity (PA). A randomized controlled pilot trial was conducted after CR, sending a daily PA text message reminder to an intervention group (IG), which was compared with a usual care control group (CG) during three months of follow-up. Thirty-two subjects were assessed pre- and post-study intervention with GPAQ, submaximal iso-watt exercise testing, a 30 s sit-to-stand test, a bilateral arm curl test, and a final survey on a seven-point Likert scale. A statistically significant difference in the increase of moderate PA time (Δ 244.7 (95% CI 189.1, 300.4) minutes, p < 0.001) and in the reduction of sedentary behavior time (Δ −77.5 (95% CI 104.9, −50.1) minutes, p = 0.004) was shown when the IG was compared with the CG. This was associated with an improvement in heart rate, blood pressure, and patients’ Borg rating on the category ratio scale 10 (CR10) in iso-watt exercise testing (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, only the IG did not show a worsening of the strength parameters in the follow-up leading to a change of the 30 s sit-to-stand test with a difference of +2.2 (95% CI 1.23, 3.17) repetitions compared to CG (p = 0.03). The telemedical intervention has been appreciated by the IG, whose willingness to continue with regular PA emerged to be superior compared to the CG. Text messages are an effective and inexpensive adjuvant after phase 2 CR that improves adherence to regular PA. Further studies are needed to confirm these results in a larger patient population and in the long term.

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Blood eosinophil count-guided corticosteroid therapy and as a prognostic biomarker of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease ◽

10.1177/20406223211028768 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

pp. 204062232110287

Author(s):

Tao Liu ◽

Zi-Jian Xiang ◽

Xiao-Meng Hou ◽

Jing-Jing Chai ◽

Yan-Li Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Pulmonary Disease ◽

Prognostic Biomarker ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Blood Eosinophil ◽

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Copd Patients ◽

The Stability

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and dyspnea, as well as an increase in the number of leukocytes in the airways, lungs, and pulmonary vessels. A ‘One size fits all’ approach to COPD patients with different clinical features may be considered outdated. The following are the two major objectives of this meta-analysis: the first is to determine if blood eosinophil counts (BEC) can serve as a prognostic biomarker of COPD outcomes, and the second is to determine which level of BEC is effective for inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatment. Methods: We searched articles published before 15 May 2021 in the following four electronic databases: Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and PubMed. Results: A total of 42 studies, comprising a sampling of 188,710 subjects, were summarized and compared in this meta-analysis. The rate ratio (RR) of exacerbations of COPD (ECOPD) between ICS and non-ICS treatment was statistically significant for the COPD patients with a baseline BEC ⩾ 2% or ⩾ 200 cells/μl, RR = 0.82 (0.73, 0.93) or 0.79 (0.70, 0.89) respectively, while the RR of ECOPD between ICS and non-ICS treatment was statistically insignificant for the COPD patients with baseline BEC < 2% or <200 cells/μl, RR = 0.97 (0.87, 1.08) or 0.97 (0.86, 1.08), suggested that ICS therapy was beneficial to the improvement of ECOPD in patients with a baseline BEC ⩾ 2% or BEC ⩾ 200 cells/μl. Conclusion: Our research shows that a BEC ⩾ 200 cells/μl or ⩾2% is likely to become the cutoff value of ICS treatment for ECOPD. Moreover, we believe that the baseline BEC can be used as a biomarker for predicting ECOPD. The stability of BEC requires special attention.

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Is the 1-Minute Sit-To-Stand Test a Good Tool to Evaluate Exertional Oxygen Desaturation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

Diagnostics ◽

10.3390/diagnostics11020159 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 159

Author(s):

Ana L. Fernandes ◽

Inês Neves ◽

Graciete Luís ◽

Zita Camilo ◽

Bruno Cabrita ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Pulmonary Disease ◽

Intraclass Correlation ◽

Oxygen Desaturation ◽

Walking Distance ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Stand Test ◽

Sit To Stand

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is frequently associated with exertional oxygen desaturation, which may be evaluated using the 6-minute walking test (6MWT). However, it is a time-consuming test. The 1-minute sit-to-stand test (1STST) is a simpler test, already used to evaluate the functional status. The aim of this study was to compare the 1STST to the 6MWT in the evaluation of exertional desaturation. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study including 30 stable COPD patients who performed the 6MWT and 1STST on the same day. Six-minute walking distance (6MWD), number of 1STST repetitions (1STSTr), and cardiorespiratory parameters were recorded. Results: A significant correlation was found between the 6MWD and the number of 1STSTr (r = 0.54; p = 0.002). The minimum oxygen saturation (SpO2) in both tests showed a good agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.81) and correlated strongly (r = 0.84; p < 0.001). Regarding oxygen desaturation, the total agreement between the tests was 73.3% with a fair Cohen’s kappa (κ = 0.38; p = 0.018), and 93.33% of observations were within the limits of agreement for both tests in the Bland–Altman analysis. Conclusion: The 1STST seems to be a capable tool of detecting exercise-induced oxygen desaturation in COPD. Because it is a less time- and resources-consuming test, it may be applied during the outpatient clinic consultation to regularly evaluate the exercise capacity and exertional desaturation in COPD.

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Long-term Effects of Telemonitoring on Healthcare Usage in Patients with Heart Failure or COPD (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.10981 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Jorien Maria Margaretha van der Burg ◽

Nasir Ahmad Aziz ◽

Maurits C. Kaptein ◽

Martine J.M. Breteler ◽

Joris H. Jansen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Healthcare Costs ◽

Hospital Admissions ◽

Disease Stage ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Home Telemonitoring ◽

Copd Patients ◽

Patients With Heart Failure

UNSTRUCTURED Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of home telemonitoring in reducing healthcare usage and costs in patients with heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Design The study was a retrospective observational study with a pre-post research design and a follow-up duration of up to 3 years, based on hospital data collected in the period 2012-2016. Setting Data was collected at the Slingeland Hospital in Doetinchem, The Netherlands. Participants In 2012 the Slingeland Hospital in The Netherlands started a telemonitoring program for patients with COPD or heart failure as part of their usual care. Patients were eligible for the telemonitoring program if they were in an advanced disease stage (New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class 3 or 4; COPD gold stage 3 or 4), received treatment for their condition by a cardiologist or pulmonary specialist at the Slingeland Hospital, were proficient in Dutch and capable of providing informed consent. Exclusion criteria were absence of the cognitive, physical or logistical ability required to fully participate in the program. Hundred seventy-seven patients with heart failure and 83 patients with COPD enrolled the program between 2012 and 2016. Intervention Using a touchscreen, participants with heart failure recorded their weight (daily), blood pressure and heart rate (once a week) through connected instruments, and completed a questionnaire about their symptoms (once a week). Symptoms in patients with COPD were monitored via the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ), which participants were asked to complete twice per week. All home registrations were sent via a telemonitoring application (cVitals, FocusCura, Driebergen-Rijssenburg) on the iPad to a medical service center were a trained nurse monitored the data and contacted the patient by video chat or a specialised nurse in the hospital in case of abnormal results, such as deviations from a preset threshold or alterations in symptom score. Outcome measures The primary outcome was the number of hospitalisations; the secondary outcomes were total number of hospitalisation days and healthcare costs during the follow-up period. Generalised Estimating Equations were applied to account for repeated measurements, adjusting for sex, age and length of follow-up. Results In heart failure patients (N=177), after initiation of home telemonitoring both the number of hospitalisations and the total number of hospitalisation days significantly decreased (incidence rate ratio of 0.35 (95% CI: 0.26-0.48) and 0.35 (95% CI: 0.24-0.51), respectively), as did the total healthcare costs (exp(B) = 0.11 (95% CI: 0.08-0.17)), all p < 0.001. In COPD patients (N=83) neither the number of hospitalisations nor the number of hospitalisation days changed compared to the pre-intervention period. However, the average healthcare costs were about 54% lower in COPD patients after the start of the home telemonitoring intervention (exp(B) = 0.46, 95% CI 0.25-0.84, p = 0.011). Conclusion Integrated telemonitoring significantly reduced the number of hospital admissions and days spent in hospital in patients with heart failure, but not in patients with COPD. Importantly, in both patients with heart failure and COPD the intervention substantially reduced the total healthcare costs.

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Measurement System for Unsupervised Standardized Assessment of Timed “Up & Go” and Five Times Sit to Stand Test in the Community—A Validity Study

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s20102824 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (10) ◽

pp. 2824

Author(s):

Sebastian Fudickar ◽

Sandra Hellmers ◽

Sandra Lau ◽

Rebecca Diekmann ◽

Jürgen M. Bauer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Test Performance ◽

Functional Decline ◽

Preventive Interventions ◽

Stand Test ◽

Sit To Stand ◽

Functionally Impaired ◽

Measurement Units ◽

Self Assessments ◽

Physical Changes ◽

Movement Sensors

Comprehensive and repetitive assessments are needed to detect physical changes in an older population to prevent functional decline at the earliest possible stage and to initiate preventive interventions. Established instruments like the Timed “Up & Go” (TUG) Test and the Sit-to-Stand Test (SST) require a trained person (e.g., physiotherapist) to assess physical performance. More often, these tests are only applied to a selected group of persons already functionally impaired and not to those who are at potential risk of functional decline. The article introduces the Unsupervised Screening System (USS) for unsupervised self-assessments by older adults and evaluates its validity for the TUG and SST. The USS included ambient and wearable movement sensors to measure the user’s test performance. Sensor datasets of the USS’s light barriers and Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) were analyzed for 91 users aged 73 to 89 years compared to conventional stopwatch measurement. A significant correlation coefficient of 0.89 for the TUG test and of 0.73 for the SST were confirmed among USS’s light barriers. Correspondingly, for the inertial data-based measures, a high and significant correlation of 0.78 for the TUG test and of 0.87 for SST were also found. The USS was a validated and reliable tool to assess TUG and SST.

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