• Annemieke Fastenau, Onno C P van Schayck, Rik Gosselink, Karin C P M Aretz, and Jean W M Muris.
• Maastricht University Medical Centre, Department of Family Medicine, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
• Prim Care Respir J. 2013 Dec 1;22(4):425-30.

BackgroundIn patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) the six-minute walk distance reflects the functional exercise level for daily physical activity. It is unknown if this also applies to patients with mild to moderate COPD in primary care.AimsTo assess the relationship between functional exercise capacity and physical activity in patients with mild to moderate COPD.MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed in 51 patients with mild to moderate COPD in primary care. Functional exercise capacity was assessed by the six-minute walk test and physical activity was measured with an accelerometer-based activity monitor.ResultsFunctional exercise capacity was close to normal values. However, the daily physical activity of the patients could be classified as 'sedentary' and 'low active'. No significant correlations were observed between six-minute walk distance (% predicted) and any of the physical activity variables (steps per day, movement intensity during walking, total active time, total walking time, physical activity level, and time spent in moderate physical activity).ConclusionsA discrepancy was found between functional exercise capacity and daily physical activity in patients with mild to moderate COPD recruited and assessed in primary care. We conclude that these variables represent two different concepts. Our results reinforce the importance of measuring daily physical activity in order to fine-tune treatment (i.e. focusing on enhancement of exercise capacity or behavioural change, or both).

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