Evaluation of exercise training in patients with chronic airway obstruction

The efficacy of an exercise training program should be evaluated by adequate assessment of the patient's physical work capacity before and after training. In this study the effect of a 12-week bicycle training program on the exercise tolerance of 10 patients with chronic airway obstruction was assessed. There was a statistically significant improvement in maximum working capacity and in the distance walked in 12 minutes following training (p less than .02 and p less than .001, respectively). The improvement in work performance was not accompanied by any significant change in forced expiratory volume in one second. At equivalent workloads the ventilation and frequency of breathing were lower following training (p less than .02 and p less than .05, respectively).