Meta- analysis revealed few clinical ly relevant and statistically significant benefits of " add-on " therapies on exercise performance compared with exercise training .
The aim of this review was to identify the effectiveness of therapies added on to conventional exercise training to maximise exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) .
Cycle ergometer and inspiratory muscle training in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) the intensity of aerobic training is limited by dyspnea . Improving strength of the inspiratory muscles could enhance aerobic exercise training by reducing exercise-related dyspnea . We examined effects of home-based inspiratory muscle training ( IMT ) and cycle ergometry training ( CET ) in 53 patients with moderate to severe COPD ( FEV(1)% pred , 50 + /- 17 [ mean + /- SD ] ) . Patients were r and omly assigned to 4 mo of training in one of four groups : IMT , CET , CET + IMT , or health education ( ED ) . Patients were encouraged to train to the limits of their dyspnea . Inspiratory muscle strength and endurance increased in IMT and CET + IMT groups compared with CET and ED groups ( p < 0 . 01 ) . Peak oxygen uptake increased and heart rate , minute ventilation , dyspnea , and leg fatigue decreased at submaximal work rates in the CET and CET + IMT groups compared with the IMT and ED groups ( p < 0 . 01 ) . There were no differences between the CET and CET + IMT groups . Home-based CET produced a physiological training effect and reduced exercise-related symptoms while IMT increased respiratory muscle strength and endurance . The combination of CET and IMT did not produce additional benefits in exercise performance and exercise-related symptoms . This is the first study to demonstrate a physiological training effect with home-based exercise training
Meta- analysis revealed few clinical ly relevant and statistically significant benefits of " add-on " therapies on exercise performance compared with exercise training .
The aim of this review was to identify the effectiveness of therapies added on to conventional exercise training to maximise exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) .