• Chun-Hua Wang, Pai-Chien Chou, Wen-Ching Joa, Li-Fei Chen, Te-Fang Sheng, Shu-Chuan Ho, Horng-Chyuan Lin, Chien-Da Huang, Fu-Tsai Chung, Kian Fan Chung, and Han-Pin Kuo.
• Department of Thoracic Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 199 Tun-Hwa North Road, Taipei, Taiwan. wchunhua@ms7.hinet.net.
• BMC Pulm Med. 2014 Jan 1;14:142.

BackgroundModerate-intensity exercise training improves skeletal muscle aerobic capacity and increased oxidative enzyme activity, as well as exercise tolerance in COPD patients.MethodsTo investigate whether the home-based exercise training program can reduce inflammatory biomarkers in patients with COPD, twelve patients using mobile phone assistance and 14 with free walk were assessed by incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT), spirometry, strength of limb muscles, and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and inflammatory cytokines.ResultsPatients in the mobile phone group improved their ISWT walking distance, with decrease in serum CRP after 2 months, and sustained at 6 months. Patients in the control group had no improvement. Serum IL-8 in the mobile phone group was significantly reduced at 2, 3 and 6 months after doing home exercise training compared to baseline. IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly elevated at 3 and 6 months in control group, while there were no changes in mobile phone group. The strength of limb muscles was significantly greater compared to baseline at 3 and 6 months in the mobile phone group.ConclusionsA mobile-phone-based system can provide an efficient home endurance exercise training program with improved exercise capacity, strength of limb muscles and a decrease in serum CRP and IL-8 in COPD patients. Decreased systemic inflammation may contribute to these clinical benefits. (Clinical trial registration No.: NCT01631019).

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