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Updated: May 22, 2026
Home-Based Prescribed Pulmonary Exercise in Patients with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Published on: August 24, 2019
Diurnal variations in the parameters of pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength in patients with COPD
Guilherme Fregonezi1, Vanessa Regiane Resqueti, Juliana Loprete Cury
1Laboratory of Respiratory Physical Therapy, Department of Physical Therapy, Regional University Hospital of Northern Paraná, State University at Londrina, Londrina, Brazil. fregonezi@ufrnet.br
Objective:
To evaluate the magnitude of diurnal changes in the parameters of pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength/endurance in a sample of patients with COPD.
Methods:
A group of 7 patients underwent spirometry, together with determination of MIP and MEP, at two distinct times (between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. and between 4:30 and 5:00 p.m.) on a single day. Between assessments, the patients remained at rest in the laboratory.
Results:
In accordance with the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease staging system, COPD was classified as moderate, severe, and very severe in 1, 3, and 3 of the patients, respectively. From the first to the second assessment, there were significant decreases in FVC, FEV1, and MEP (of 13%, 15%, and 10%, respectively), as well as (less than significant) decreases in PEF, MIP, and maximal voluntary ventilation (of 9%, 3%, and 11%, respectively).
Conclusions:
In this sample of COPD patients, there were diurnal variations in the parameters of pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength. The values of FEV1, FVC, and MEP were significantly lower in the afternoon than in the morning.
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