Findings seen even in patients with mild or previously undiagnosed disease<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 15, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) is inversely associated with symptom burden in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study recently published online in\u00a0Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases<\/em>.<\/p>\n Loes Oostrik, from Utrecht University in the Netherlands, and colleagues evaluated the relationship between symptom burden and MVPA in individuals from a population-based sample mirroring the general population. The analysis included 406 participants with mild COPD, 287 participants with moderate COPD, 347 healthy individuals, and 474 individuals at risk for developing COPD.<\/p>\n The researchers found significant associations between high symptom burden and lower MVPA levels in the overall COPD sample (\u00ce\u00b2 = \u00e2\u0088\u0092717.09) and in the moderate COPD subgroup (\u00ce\u00b2 = \u00e2\u0088\u0092694.1). COPD was previously undiagnosed in 72 percent of the participants with COPD. Compared with individuals with physician-diagnosed COPD, the undiagnosed participants had significantly higher MVPA (\u00ce\u00b2 = \u00e2\u0088\u0092592.41).\u00a0<\/p>\n “It can be difficult and scary to exercise while experiencing symptoms like breathlessness,” Stephanie Williams, R.R.T., the COPD Foundation vice president of education and engagement, said in a statement. “However, regular exercise like gentle yoga and walking — under the supervision of a doctor — can improve COPD symptoms and quality of life for those living with the disease.”<\/p>\n