Peripheral and respiratory muscle strength in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a pulmonary pathology associated with numerous systemic manifestations, among them musculoskeletal dysfunction. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare respiratory and peripheral muscle strength in patients with COPD and healthy individuals. This is a cross-sectional, analytical and observational study, in which 18 individuals were evaluated, nine of them with COPD and nine healthy. Femoral quadriceps neuromuscular performance (assessed by means of isokinetic dynamometry), handgrip strength (manual dynamometer) and maximum respiratory pressure (manovacuometry) were evaluated. Data were expressed by mean and standard deviation, analyzed in the SPSS 20.0 statistical package. Significance level of 5% and confidence interval of 95% for all measures were considered. Individuals with COPD had lower quadriceps femoral neuromuscular performance and lower respiratory pressures than healthy subjects; however, there was a statistically significant difference only for muscle power and MIP (p <0.05). Handgrip strength was higher in individuals with COPD (p <0.05). individuals with COPD have neuromuscular changes in peripheral and respiratory muscles that may possibly cause reduced functional performance.