From U Basel-Switzerland: Daily walking intensity, quality of life, and COPD

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22293866

Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012 Jan 30. [Epub ahead of print]
Daily Walking Intensity as a Predictor of Quality Of Life in Patients with COPD.
Jehn M, Schindler C, Meyer A, Tamm M, Schmidt-Trucksäss A, Stolz D.
Source
1Department of Sports Medicine, Institute of Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Basel; 2Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel; 3Clinic of Pulmonary Medicine and Respiratory Cell Research, University Hospital of Basel, Switzerland.

Abstract
PURPOSE:
This study aims to assess independent predictors of quality of life (QOL) in patients with COPD, in particular to evaluate the relationship between QOL and functional exercise capacity measured by means of an activity monitor.

METHODS:
Functional exercise capacity was measured by accelerometer based daily walking intensity. QOL was assessed by Short Form-36 (SF-36) and Saint Georges Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Stepwise multivariate regression analyses were employed to identify significant independent predictors of health related quality of life.

RESULTS:
Daily walking intensity (fast walk) was the only significant independent predictor of the SF-36 domains 'physical function' (P = 0.002) and 'role physical' (P = 0.034). Age and depression were significant independent predictors of the domain 'social functioning' (P = 0.035 and P = 0.002, respectively). Age and fast walk were significant independent predictors of the domain 'mental health' (P = 0.006 and P = 0.017, respectively). FEV1 % predicted and fast walk were both significant independent predictors of the domains 'general health' (P = 0.04 and P = 0.02, respectively) and 'physical component score (PCS)' (P = 0.038 and P = 0.017, respectively). In terms of the SGRQ questionnaire, fast walk was a significant independent predictor of 'activity score' (P = 0.001), 'impact score' (P = 0.022) and 'total score' (P = 0.01).

CONCLUSION:
Quality of life is an important aspect to be integrated into chronic disease management and the assessment of daily walking intensity by means of accelerometry can provide additional information about the patient's functional status and well being over a certain time period.