Interval versus continuous training in patients with severe COPD: a randomized clinical trial

Limited information is available regarding the physiological responses to different types of exercise training in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was two fold: firstly, to investigate the physiological response to training at 60% of achieved peak load in patients with severe COPD; and secondly to study the effects of interval (I) versus continuous (C) training in these patients. Twenty-one patients with COPD (mean+/-SD forced expiratory volume in one second: 37+/-15% of predicted, normoxaemic at rest) were evaluated at baseline and after 8 weeks' training. Patients were randomly allocated to either I or C training. The training was performed on a cycle ergometer, 5 days a week, 30 min daily. The total work load was the same for both training programmes. C training resulted in a significant increase in oxygen consumption (V'O2) (17%, p<0.05) and a decrease in minute ventilation (V'E)/V'O2 (p<0.01) and V'E/carbon dioxide production (V'CO2) (p<0.05) at peak exercise capacity, while no changes in these measures were observed after interval training. During submaximal exercise a significant decrease was observed in lactic acid production, being most pronounced in the C-trained group (-31%, p<0.01 versus -20%, p<0.05). Only in the I-trained group did a significant increase in peak work load (17%, p<0.05) and a decrease in leg pain (p<0.05) occur. Training did not result in a significant improvement in lung function, but maximal inspiratory mouth pressure increased in both groups by 10% (C: p<0.05) and 23% (I: p<0.01). The present study shows a different physiological response pattern to interval or continuous training in chronic obstruction pulmonary disease, which might be a reflection of specific training effects in either oxidative or glycolytic muscle metabolic pathways. Further work is required to determine the role of the different exercise programmes and the particular category of patients for whom this might be beneficial.