We included 11 r and omized controlled trials ( 331 participants ) and 2 previous systematic review s. The meta-analyses showed equal improvements in HRQoL , walking distance and exercise capacity .
In conclusion , we found significantly increased leg muscle strength favouring a combination of RT with ET compared with ET alone .
Resistance training ( RT ) is thought to be effective in preventing muscle depletion , whereas endurance training ( ET ) is known to improve exercise capacity and health-related quality of life ( HRQoL ) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) .
Our objectives were to assess the efficiency of combining RT with ET compared with ET alone .
Strength training increases maximum working capacity in patients with COPD--randomized clinical trial comparing three training modalities.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Skeletal muscle dysfunction contributes to exercise limitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) .  Strength training increases muscle strength and muscle mass , but there is an ongoing debate on the additional effect concerning the exercise capacity . The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of three different exercise modalities in patients with COPD including endurance training ( ET ) , progressive strength training ( ST ) and the combination of strength training and endurance training ( CT ) . DESIGN A prospect i ve r and omized trial . METHODS Thirty-six patients with COPD were r and omly allocated either to ET , ST , or CT .  Muscle strength , cardiopulmonary exercise testing , lung function testing and quality of life were assessed before and after a 12-week training period . RESULTS Exercise capacity ( Wmax ) increased significantly in all three training groups with increase of peak oxygen uptake ( VO2peak ) in all three groups , reaching statistical significance in the ET group and the CT group . Muscle strength ( leg press , bench press , bench pull ) improved in all three training groups , with a higher improvement in the ST ( + 39.3 % , + 20.9 % , + 20.3 % ) and the CT group ( + 43.3 % , + 18.1 % , + 21.6 % ) compared to the ET group ( + 20.4 % , + 6.4 % , + 12.1 % ) . CONCLUSIONS Progressive strength training alone increases not only muscle strength and quality of life , but also exercise capacity in patients with COPD , which may have implication s in prescription of training modality . CLINICAL TRIALS.GOV IDENTIFIER : NCT01091623
We included 11 r and omized controlled trials ( 331 participants ) and 2 previous systematic review s. The meta-analyses showed equal improvements in HRQoL , walking distance and exercise capacity .
In conclusion , we found significantly increased leg muscle strength favouring a combination of RT with ET compared with ET alone .
Resistance training ( RT ) is thought to be effective in preventing muscle depletion , whereas endurance training ( ET ) is known to improve exercise capacity and health-related quality of life ( HRQoL ) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) .
Our objectives were to assess the efficiency of combining RT with ET compared with ET alone .