Submaximal exercise task post clinical balance in COPD patients and its correlation with quadriceps girth, body mass index and disease severity

Abstract

Purpose: To study and compare the effect of submaximal exercise on static and dynamic balance in patients with severe and moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and correlation of the balance impairments with disease severity, quadriceps girth and body mass index (BMI). Methods: A sample of convenience of 45 middle aged participants (mean age 53.47 ± SD 4.775), including 15 with severe COPD, 15 with moderate COPD who were not undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation program and 15 healthy controls were included. The subjects performed Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) for dynamic balance and quiet standing to assess postural sway using sway meter with eyes closed and opened in narrow, semi tandem and tandem stance for 30 seconds. The balance variables were then correlated to forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), quadriceps girth and body mass index. Significance was set at alpha less than 0.05. Results: when compared to healthy controls, significant differences were found in postural sway in all the stances in severe COPD patients, and in semi tandem and tandem stances in moderate COPD patients. TUG test significantly differed in both severe and moderate COPD (p=0.0001) and no difference between severe and moderate COPD TUG test was found. Moderate negative correlation was found between FEV1 and postural away in few stances whereas no correlation was found with quadriceps girth and BMI of COPD patients. Conclusion: Static as well as dynamic balance are affected in COPD patients with postural sway affected more in severe COPD than moderate COPD leading to functional disability and risk of falls which increases with increase in age. Balance alterations can be moderately correlated to FEV1.