Fully active physical activity reduced all-cause mortality in patients with COPD, lowering the hazard ratio from 1.40 in inactive patients to 1.10, a level comparable to inactive individuals without COPD.
Cohort (n=483,603)
Does fully active physical activity reduce mortality and improve life expectancy in patients with COPD?
In patients with COPD, engaging in fully active physical activity is associated with reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, lower resting heart rates, and an extension of life expectancy comparable to individuals without COPD.
Effect estimate: HR 1.10 (95% CI 0.9-1.2)
p-value: p=<0.05
For chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the role of physical activity in reducing COPD mortality and heart loading and in extending life expectancy remains unclear. Participants in comprehensive medical screening were recruited with spirometry on everyone. We analyzed physical activity volume calculated from intensity, duration and frequency of self-reported exercise history. Deaths were identified from the National Death File. The impacts of physical activity on mortality, heart rate and life expectancy were analyzed. Among the cohort of 483,603 adults, 32,535 had spirometry-determined COPD, indicating an adjusted national prevalence of 11.4% (male) and 9.8% (female). On the average, COPD increased all-cause mortality with a hazard ratio of 1.44 and loss of 6.0 years in life expectancy. Almost two thirds (65%) of the causes of deaths were extra-pulmonary, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and kidney diseases. In addition, COPD was associated with increases in heart rate proportionate to its severity, which led to higher mortality. Participants with COPD who were fully active physically could reduce mortality and have improved heart rates as compared with those without physical activity. In addition, their life expectancy could be extended close to those of the no COPD but inactive cohort. Fully active physical activity can help patients with COPD overcome most of the mortality risks, decrease heart rate, and achieve a life expectancy close to that of patients without COPD. The effectiveness of physical activity on COPD is facilitated by its systemic nature beyond lung disease.
Shu et al. (2021) conducted a cohort in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (n=483,603). Fully active physical activity vs. Inactive physical activity (< 15 min a day, or < 3.75 MET-hours/week) was evaluated on All-cause mortality (HR 1.10, 95% CI 0.9-1.2, p=<0.05). Fully active physical activity reduced all-cause mortality in patients with COPD, lowering the hazard ratio from 1.40 in inactive patients to 1.10, a level comparable to inactive individuals without COPD.