Table 1

Baseline participant characteristics

Pulmonary rehabilitation (n=31)Usual care (n=29)All participants (n=60)
Age53.26 (3.86)52.03 (4.84)52.67 (4.36)
Smoker (never/ex/current)27/4/017/8/444/12/4
Hospitalisation in prior year2.00 (1.98)0.89 (1.47)1.47 (1.83)
Exacerbations in prior year5.94 (5.57)3.83 (3.83)4.92 (4.89)
Supplemental oxygen, yes/no11/202/2713/47
MRC breathlessness score3.58 (0.76)3.45 (0.57)3.52 (0.68)
SGRQ score73.20 (13.23)71.33 (17.30)72.31 (15.19)
Six minute walk test distance (m)310.91 (119.65)319.93 (58.09)315.27 (94.35)
Body mass index (kg/m2)31.25 (8.87)25.48 (4.23)28.46 (7.55)
Lung function
FEV1 (% predicted)47.29 (16.39)51.07 (17.32)49.12 (16.81)
FVC (% predicted)57.23 (14.13)61.55 (15.83)59.32 (15.01)
FEV1/FVC observed63.71 (11.69)64.48 (8.98)64.08 (10.39)
TLC (% predicted)102.81 (25.06)133.69 (119.46)117.73 (85.64)
RV (% predicted)184.87 (73.39)213.97 (98.29)198.93 (86.83)
TLco (%)84.87 (25.65)81.59 (22.47)83.28 (24.02)
Kco (%)115.29 (27.65)108.24 (29.36)111.88 (28.47)
Cycle ergometry
Peak workload (Watts)64.71 (23.96)73.79 (18.79)69.10 (21.92)
Peak VO2 (mL/kg/min)10.56 (3.72)12.24 (3.79)11.36 (3.82)
Peak VCO2 (mL/kg/min)11.92 (4.60)12.28 (4.16)12.09 (4.36)
Peak RR (breaths/min)30.42 (5.49)32.52 (6.63)31.43 (6.11)
Peak HR (beats/min)117.16 (29.10)114.55 (20.87)115.90 (25.28)
Tlim (70%) (s)380.65 (138.71)476.21 (172.55)426.83 (161.96)
Muscle
RFCSA (mm2)424.10 (88.17)353.32 (56.12)390.51 (82.20)
Isokinetic quadriceps strength (Nm)71.68 (24.52)66.64 (20.65)69.25 (22.68)
Isokinetic quadriceps endurance (j)80.60 (26.78)77.16 (32.81)78.94 (29.64)
Physical activityN=29N=21
Daily physical activity work (kcal)674.39 (544.44)559.81 (511.78)626.27 (528.72)
Daily physical activity distance (km)7.16 (4.05)6.69 (4.36)6.97 (4.14)
Daily step count10 192 (5767)9513 (6159)9915 (5876)
  • Values are mean (SD) Tlim (70%) cycle endurance time at 70% maximum workload.

  • FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity; Kco, CO transfer coefficient; MRC, Medical Research Council; RFCSA, rectus femoris cross-sectional area ; RV, residual volume; SGRQ, St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire; TLC, total lung capacity; TLco, CO transfer factor.