Long-Term Effects of Pedometer-Based Physical Activity Coaching in Severe COPD: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Dario Kohlbrenner,1 Noriane A Sievi,1 Oliver Senn,2 Malcolm Kohler,1 Christian F Clarenbach1 1Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; 2Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandCorrespondence: Christian F ClarenbachDepartment of Pulmonology, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, Zurich 8091, SwitzerlandTel [phone]Email [email protected] and Objective: Limited evidence on long-term effects of physical activity programs in COPD is available. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of a three-month program combining physical activity counselling and pedometer-based feedback in addition to usual care, followed by a nine-month unsupervised observation period as compared to usual care in participants with severe to very severe COPD.Methods: Participants were randomized to either a control group receiving usual care or an intervention group receiving motivational support, an activity diary with an individual step count goal (ie, an increase of ≥ 15% from baseline) and a pedometer in addition to usual care. The intervention ended after three months and an unsupervised observational period followed until twelve months. Primary outcome was daily step count after one year.Results: Seventy-four participants were included, 61 (82%) completed the study. Linear regression modelling, adjusted for baseline step count, showed no significant difference in change in step count after 12 months between the groups (&Bgr; = 547.33, 95% CI = − 243.55/1338.20).Conclusion: A three-month program combining physical activity counselling and pedometer-based feedback in addition to usual care does not attenuate the declining course of physical activity in participants with severe and very severe COPD during a long term follow-up of one year as compared to usual care. This result was primarily determined by the low intervention response rates to the combined program.Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03114241.Keywords: physical activity, COPD, counselling program, randomized controlled trial, long-term follow-up

Keywords

• physical activity
• copd
• counselling program
• randomized controlled trial
• long-term follow-up