Physical Activity and Underlying Muscle Biology in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Leandro Cruz Mantoani 1, Humberto Silva 2, Roberto A. Rabinovich 3
1 ELEGI and COLT Laboratories, Queen's Medical Research Institute, The Universiy of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, EH16 4TJ Edinburgh, UK; 2 Post-graduation programme in Rehabilitation Sciences, CEPPOS - Centre of Research and Post-graduation, Londrina State University, Robert Koch Avenue 60, 86038-350 Londrina, Brazil; 3 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, 51 Little France Crescent, EH 16 4SA Edinburgh, UK
*Correspondence: Humberto Silva, Email not available
Abstract
Muscle dysfunction is one of the most studied systemic effects in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and a predictor of mortality. It can be caused by sedentary habit due to muscle underuse. Conversely, muscle dysfunction also contributes to inactivity in COPD. To date, the underlying mechanisms of muscle dysfunction and their impacts on physical activity (PA) levels in COPD were not explored in a literature review. The aims of this review are to summarise and discuss the link between muscle dysfunction and biology with reduced levels of daily PA in patients with COPD. This manuscript covers the many aspects of physical inactivity in COPD, the relationship between muscle dysfunction and muscle biology with physical inactivity in this population, as well as the strategies used to tackle muscle impairment with a possible positive impact on activity levels in COPD and other complementary strategies to increase PA in this population.
