Introduction

An early exercise training program(ETP) in primary care after an exacerbation(AECOPD) might stimulate patients with COPD to restore physical activity(PA).

Aim

Compare daily steps taken on physiotherapy(PT) versus non-PT days throughout an 8 week ETP.

Methods

This multicenter RCT(NCT05233137) studies the effect of an ETP and PA coaching(=intervention group) compared to PA coaching alone(=usual care group); starting 12±9(mean±SD) days after change in medication. Patients in the intervention group followed the ETP, focused on increasing quadriceps strength, consisting of 18 supervised PT sessions in primary care. All patients wore an activity tracker to monitor daily steps. Days with and without PT were compared using a mixed linear models including time, day(PT vs. no PT) and their interaction.

Results

17 patients(7 moderate and 10 severe AECOPD, range FEV1=[17-85] %pred) were included, 8 patients in the intervention group completed the ETP. Patients in the intervention group had numerically more steps ?1042±926(mean±SEM)(p=0.18) on PT days versus non-PT days. All patients increased their steps over time(p=0.03), similar on PT-days versus non-PT-days in the intervention group(interaction effect p=0.21), see Figure 1.

Conclusion

PA recovers in the weeks after an AECOPD. Although not significant, a clinically relevant difference was found on PT days versus non-PT days in the early recovery from an AECOPD following the ETP.