Introduction
The fat free mass (FFM) reduction is an independent predictor factor of mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the literature shows that exercise increases the FFM.
Objective
To identify factors associated with improvement in body composition in patients with COPD after high intensity physical training.
Methods
Thirty-seven patients with COPD (19M; 66 ± 7 years; BMI = 27 ± 6 kg/m2; VEF1 = 38 ± 16 %pred) were evaluated according to their body composition, lung function, respiratory and peripheral muscle strengh, functional exercise capacity (six minutes walk test, 6 MWT), level of daily physical activity (activity monitor, DynaPort®), the sensation of Dyspnea (Medical Research Council scale) and quality of life (Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire). The physical training contained muscle strength and endurance exercises (3 times/week, for 3 months). After 3 months patients were reevaluated. Those who exhibited an increase in FFM entered in the statistics.
Results
At the baseline, FFM significantly (p ≤ 0.05) correlated with total energy expenditure (r = 0.57), 6MWT in %predict (r = 0.46), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP) (r = 0.57), forced expiratory volume in the first second in %predict (r = 0.47), quadriceps strength (r = 0.54), biceps strength (r = 0.62) and triceps strength (r = 0.63). However, the improvement in the FFM after training significantly correlate only with increases in the MRC scale (r = 0.47; p = 0.05) and MEP (r = 0.35; p = 0.04).
Conclusion
Despite the FFM in patients with COPD be related to functional exercise capacity, respiratory and peripheral muscle strength, pulmonary obstruction and energy expenditure in the baseline, improved in FFM after exercise training is related only with increases in expiratory muscle strength and with the dyspnea sensation.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Body composition; Exercise; Exercise therapy; Rehabilitation
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