Resp Res
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Comparative Study
Airflow limitation or static hyperinflation: which is more closely related to dyspnea with activities of daily living in patients with COPD?
Dyspnea while performing the activities of daily living has been suggested to be a better measurement than peak dyspnea during exercise. Furthermore, the inspiratory capacity (IC) has been shown to be more closely related to exercise tolerance and dyspnea than the FEV1, because dynamic hyperinflation is the main cause of shortness of breath in patients with COPD. However, breathlessness during exercise is measured in most studies to evaluate this relationship. ⋯ Both static hyperinflation and airflow limitation contributed greatly to dyspnea in COPD patients.