Effect of Exe
Effect of Exercise Therapy on Blood Gases and Ventilatory Functions in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients: Randomized Control Study
Ashraf Abdelaal Mohamed1 and Gihan Samir Mohamed Mousa2
1Department of Physical Therapy for Cardiovascular/ Respiratory Disorder and Geriatrics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Egypt. 2Department of Physical Therapy for Cardiovascular/Respiratory Disorder and Geriatrics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Egypt.[email protected]
Abstract: Blood gases and ventilatory function abnormalities are common in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Exercise training has been proven to be an essential component of pulmonary rehabilitation. Participants and Methods: forty volunteer male patients with COPD completed this study that lasted 12 weeks. Their ages ranged from 45 to 65 years old and had moderate COPD (FEV1 = 50-80 % predicted) with partial reversible airway obstruction. After taking full history and examinations for each patient; they were randomly assigned into one of the two groups; group A (n=20) received a supervised well-designed moderate intensity aerobic exercise training program, and group B (n= 20) received a supervised well-designed interval training program. Both groups performed their exercise training program 3 times per week for 12 weeks. All patients were continuously encouraged to maintain their medical treatment regimen throughout the study. Blood gases including (partial pressures of arterial oxygen (PaO2), carbon dioxide (PaCO2), and the arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2)) and ventilatory functions including forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) were assessed before and after the end of the study for each patient. Results: Three months of aerobic exercise training or interval training significantly improve blood gases and ventilatory function measures in COPD patients. Although there are non-significant difference in PaCO2 response to either aerobic or interval training; there are significant difference in PaO2, SaO2, FVC and FEV1 response to aerobic or interval training in favor of interval training. Conclusion: Aerobic training as well as interval training are two treatment modalities for COPD patients. Both aerobic and interval training modes produce significant improvement in blood gases and ventilatory function in COPD patient. Furthermore; blood gases and ventilatory function respond more favorably to interval training than aerobic training. Interval training can be considered as an alternative to aerobic training in patients with moderate COPD.
[Mohamed AA. and Mousa GS. Effect of Exercise Therapy on Blood Gases and Ventilatory Functions in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients: Randomized Control Study. J Am Sci 2012; 8(10):738-746]. (ISSN: 1545-1003). http://www.jofamericanscience.org. 99
Key Words: Exercise Therapy; Blood Gases; Ventilatory Function; COPD.
