Daily physical activity in patients with a pulmonary disease
Daily physical activity in patients with a pulmonary disease
This thesis is about daily physical activity in patients with a pulmonary disease, mainly patients with COPD. Although COPD is a common disease, little is known about the daily physical activity level of COPD patients. Even less is known about the possible determinants that contribute to the daily physical activity level, and its consequences for their quality of life. In this thesis we show that the daily physical activity level of COPD patients is low. We show that we can enhance the daily physical activity level through a combination of individual exercise counseling and the use of a pedometer, and that this enhancement strategy has a positive effect. After lung transplantation, the daily physical activity level increases strongly up to the level of healthy people. It remains unclear why some patients are relatively active, and others are not. The lower level of daily physical activity in COPD patients is associated with a higher level of airway obstruction and a lower level of physical fitness. The association with quality of life is less clear. Daily physical activity is an important outcome measure in COPD management. By improving our knowledge of daily physical activity, its determinants and the enhancement of daily physical activity we can hopefully slow down the downward spiral of immobility that these patients face.