Impact of Exercise Capacity Upon Respiratory Functions, Perception of Dyspnea, and Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Wenjun Liu,1,2 Yufei Liu,1,2 Xiaolin Li1,2 1Department of Human Movement Science in Graduate School, Harbin Sport University, Harbin, 150000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Sports Science and Health, Harbin Sport University, Harbin, 150000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiaolin Li Email 13936305962@163.comBackground: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with a high prevalence of morbidity and mortality worldwide. We investigated the effects of exercise capacity upon respiratory functions, perception of dyspnea, and quality of life (QoL) in patients with COPD.Methods: A total of 512 COPD patients formed the study cohort. They were divided into four subgroups according to the distance walked in the 6-minute walking test (6MWT). We compared respiratory functions, perception of dyspnea, and QoL between groups.Results: Patients who walked > 350 m had significantly better disease-specific QoL scores (p < 0.001) than those of other groups. A negative correlation was found between the walking distance and anxiety, depression, and dyspnea scores (p < 0.001).Conclusions: In patients who walked < 350 m, the reduced walking distance adversely affected respiratory functions, psychological symptoms, and QoL.Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, exercise, quality of life, statistics