Aerobic high intensity interval training is an effective treatment for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

Aerobic high intensity interval cycling at 85-95% of peak heart rate improves peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and performance in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients (COPD). One leg cycling demonstrates greater improvement in whole body VO2peak than two legs cycling. The work load performed leg by leg in the one leg group is greater than when both legs are working together, however the ventilatory load is not different. Thereby the one leg cycling allows the patients to train at a higher muscle-specific intensity compared to whole body exercise, resulting in a significantly greater training response.

 

Aerobic high intensity one leg interval cycling at 85-95% of peak heart rate in normoxia and hyperoxia improves VO2peak and performance in patients with severe COPD. However, breathing 100% oxygen during training does not improve VO2peak above the level attained by breathing ambient air. Neither does acute hyperoxia increase VO2peak compared to normoxia despite a higher arterial oxygen saturation during testing both before and after the training period, which indicates an oxygen demand limitation to VO2peak in the peripheral muscles in both stages.

 

Hyperoxic aerobic high intensity interval training at 85-95% of peak heart rate increases VO2peak, performance, work economy and quality of life in severe COPD patients with hypoxemia (SpO2< 88%) at peak exercise. Oxygen supply limitation is demonstrated in the COPD group by a significant improved VO2peak and performance in acute hyperoxia compared to normoxia during testing both before and after the training period. On the contrary, no acute difference between hyperoxia and normoxia suggests an oxygen demand limitation in the coronary artery disease patients (CAD).