Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 28, 2026
Home-Based Prescribed Pulmonary Exercise in Patients with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Published on: August 24, 2019
The physiological characteristics of community-dwelling elderly Japanese with airflow limitation: a cross-sectional
Naoto Fukutani1, Minoru Yamada, Shu Nishiguchi
1Department of Physical Therapy, Human Health Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan, fukutani.naoto.36x@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
Background And Aims:
The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological characteristics of community-dwelling elderly subjects, aged ≥65 years, with airflow limitation in the Japanese community.
Methods:
Subjects were recruited through local press advertisement, and 180 individuals were enrolled. Data on age, body mass index (BMI), gender, smoking history, and past medical history were obtained, as were pulmonary function parameters, skeletal muscle mass index, and physical activity.
Results:
The final study population comprised 161 participants from whom we obtained valid spirometry results. The mean age of this population was 73.4 ± 4.4 years, and 78 participants (48.4 %) were men. The prevalence of airflow limitation was 29.2 % (n = 47). Subjects with airflow limitation were significantly older (P = 0.01) and had poorer pulmonary function (P < 0.01), lower BMI (P < 0.01), and lower skeletal muscle mass index (P = 0.03) than healthy elderly subjects. Furthermore, skeletal muscle mass index was significantly correlated with the percentage of predicted forced vital capacity (r = 0.45, P < 0.05) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (r = 0.50, P < 0.05) only in men with airflow limitation.
Conclusions:
We found that the skeletal muscle mass index was significantly reduced in community-dwelling elderly with airflow limitation, and the skeletal muscle mass index was correlated with pulmonary function only in men with airflow limitation.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:24Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features
01:24Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Smoking is a primary risk factor for COPD, with over 80% of patients having a history of it. Patients typically experience progressive dyspnea or labored breathing, frequent coughing, and recurrent pulmonary infections. Many eventually succumb to respiratory failure, characterized by...
01:27Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-IV: Assessement and Diagnostic Studies
Medical History
01:25Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-III: Symptoms and Complications.
Symptoms of COPD can be classified as primary or systemic. Primary symptoms relate to reduced airflow, while systemic or extrapulmonary symptoms relate to COPD's broader impact on the body.
Primary Symptoms of COPD:
01:20Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Inflammation
01:25Pulmonary Function Tests
Pulmonary Function Tests are crucial diagnostic tools for assessing respiratory function, particularly in patients with chronic respiratory disorders. They comprehensively evaluate lung volumes, ventilatory function, breathing mechanics, diffusion, and gas exchange. These tests help diagnose pulmonary diseases and play a significant role in monitoring disease progression, evaluating disability, and assessing response to therapy.
PFTs involve using a spirometer, a...