The main objective of this study is to determine the relationship between physical activity
(PA) level prior to hospitalization and the pulmonary symptomatology, functionality, exercise capacity,
and strength of acute exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. In this
observational study, all data were taken during the patient’s first day in hospital. Patients were
divided into two groups (a PA group, and a physical inactivity (PI) group), according to the PA
level evaluated by the Baecke questionnaire. Cough status was evaluated by the Leicester Cough
Questionnaire (LCQ), and dyspnea was assessed using the modified Medical Research Council
dyspnea scale (mMRC). Functionality was measured by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM)
and the London Chest Activity of Daily Living scale (LCADL). Exercise capacity was evaluated
by the two-minute step-in-place (2MSP) test, and strength assessed by dynamometry. A total of
151 patients were included in this observational study. Patients in the PI group obtained worse results
compared to the PA group, and significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in all of the variables.
Those COPD patients who regularly perform PA have less dyspnea and cough, as well as better
functionality, exercise capacity and strength during an exacerbation, without relationship to the
severity of the pathology.The author JRT has received financial support through a FPU (“Formación Profesorado Universitario”)
grant (FPU:16/01531) of the Spanish Ministry of Education. The author LLL has received financial support
through a FPU grant (FPU: 17/00408) of the Spanish Ministry of Education (Spain)