Abstract
Objective: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) appear to have impaired cardiac autonomic modulation with depressed heart rate variability (HRV). Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is recommended as an integral part of the management. However, the effect of PR on HRV at peak exercise remains unclear. Methods: Sixty-four patients with COPD participated in a 12-week, 2 sessions-per-week, hospital-based PR program. Baseline and post-PR status were evaluated by spirometry, HRV, health-related quality of life (HRQL, St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire, SGRQ), cardiopulmonary exercise test, respiratory muscle strength, and dyspnea Borg's scale. Results: After PR, there were significant improvements in the time and frequency domains of HRV with increased standard deviation of the normal R-R intervals, difference between adjacent normal R-R intervals within a given time minus one, high-frequency and decreased low-frequency, as well as concurrent improvements in HRQL, exercise capacity, dyspnea score, and respiratory muscle strength (all p
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 249-255 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Heart and Lung: Journal of Acute and Critical Care |
Volume | 43 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Exercise capacity
- Health-related quality of life
- Heart rate variability
- Pulmonary rehabilitation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
- Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine