Short Walks for COPD

(COPD Trial)

Overseen By Neil Eves, PhD

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of British Columbia

Must not be taking: Anticoagulants

Disqualifiers: Exercise training, Thrombosis, Cardiac, Diabetes, Musculoskeletal, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 5

20 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease of the lungs that makes it hard for people to breath. Those with COPD spend considerably more time sitting and lying and less time performing physical activity than healthy individuals. Those who are the most sedentary have a greater risk of heart and blood vessel disease, which may lead to an early death. This project will investigate the effect of sitting still for 3 hours on blood vessel health in individuals with COPD. It will also investigate whether breaking up the amount of time patients sit with regular short bouts of walking (5 minutes each hour) at a comfortable pace chosen by the patient can have a positive effect on maintaining the health of their blood vessels. It is hypothesized that blood vessel health will be worse after 3 hours of sitting compared to when the sitting is broken up by short bouts of walking.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot participate if you are on anticoagulant medication.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Microdoses of activity for COPD?

Research shows that increasing physical activity, even in small amounts, can improve daily activity levels and exercise capacity in people with COPD. Regular short walks or similar activities can help break the cycle of inactivity and improve overall health. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is it safe for humans to participate in short walks or microdoses of activity for COPD?

The research does not provide specific safety data for short walks or microdoses of activity in humans, but walking tests are commonly used in COPD studies to assess exercise tolerance, suggesting they are generally considered safe. ^{2 6 7 8 9}

How is the 'Short Walks for COPD' treatment different from other treatments for COPD?

The 'Short Walks for COPD' treatment is unique because it focuses on incorporating microdoses of physical activity, such as short walks, into daily life to improve exercise tolerance and activity levels in COPD patients. Unlike traditional treatments that may rely on medication or structured exercise programs, this approach emphasizes frequent, manageable bouts of activity to combat inactivity and its associated risks. ^{1 2 3 8 10}

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for non-smoking individuals with stable moderate-to-severe COPD who haven't smoked in over 6 months. Participants should have a specific level of lung function and not be on anticoagulants, diabetic, or have musculoskeletal issues that limit physical activity. They shouldn't have severe heart or brain blood vessel disease or a history of deep vein thrombosis.

Inclusion Criteria

I have COPD, haven't smoked for over 6 months, and haven't had a flare-up in over 6 weeks.

Exclusion Criteria

I have diabetes.

Engaging in structured exercise training or pulmonary rehabilitation.

I am currently taking blood thinner medication.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

Baseline Assessment

Initial assessment including pulmonary function test and distribution of accelerometer to measure habitual physical activity levels

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Experimental Trials

Participants undergo two randomized conditions: 3 hours of prolonged sitting and 3 hours of sitting with micro-doses of physical activity

2 weeks

2 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in blood pressure and vascular health after experimental trials

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Microdoses of activity

Trial Overview The study looks at the effects of sitting still for three hours versus breaking up this time with short walking breaks every hour on blood vessel health in people with COPD. The goal is to see if these micro-doses of activity can help maintain healthy blood vessels.

Participant Groups

Group I: Microdoses of Activity Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

5-min bouts of walking will break up 3 hours of sitting at minutes 30, 90 and 150.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Prolonged sitting (3 hours)

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of British Columbia

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,506

Recruited

2,528,000+

Findings from Research

A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on exercise training in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) found a small but significant increase in daily physical activity after at least 4 weeks of supervised exercise training.

Despite the overall positive effect, the quality of the studies was variable, with no randomized controlled trials meeting the criteria, indicating that while exercise can help improve physical activity in COPD patients, more rigorous research is needed.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does exercise training change physical activity in people with COPD? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cindy Ng, LW., Mackney, J., Jenkins, S., et al.[2022]

A 2-week intervention involving regular phone calls successfully increased daily activity levels in 21 patients with stable severe COPD, leading to significant improvements in exercise capacity as measured by the 6-minute walking distance (6MWD).

The increase in activity was associated with enhanced quality of life scores, demonstrating that motivational support can effectively boost both physical activity and overall well-being in patients with severe COPD.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Intervention by phone calls raises domiciliary activity and exercise capacity in patients with severe COPD. Wewel, AR., Gellermann, I., Schwertfeger, I., et al.[2007]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does exercise training change physical activity in people with COPD? A systematic review and meta-analysis. [2022]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reliability, repeatability and sensitivity to change of externally and self-paced walking tests in COPD patients. [2022]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Activity promotion: a paradigm shift for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease therapeutics. [2011]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Intervention by phone calls raises domiciliary activity and exercise capacity in patients with severe COPD. [2007]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Physical activity in COPD: Minimal clinically important difference for medical events. [2020]

6. Spain pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessment of physical functioning in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requiring long-acting dual bronchodilation in routine clinical practice. [2021]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Maximum exercise as an outcome in COPD: minimal clinically important difference. [2019]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Use of 6-min and 12-min walking test for assessing the efficacy of formoterol in COPD. [2015]

9. United Arab Emirates pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessing the Impact of Tiotropium on Lung Function and Physical Activity in GOLD Stage II COPD Patients who are Naïve to Maintenance Respiratory Therapy: A Study Protocol. [2021]

10. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of ground-based walking training on daily physical activity in people with COPD: A randomised controlled trial. [2018]