Table 2.
Pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) at baseline and follow-up.
| Variables | Baseline (n = 29) |
Follow-up (n = 29) | Mean difference (CI 95%) |
D Cohen | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPET | |||||
| WR (W) | 88 ± 28 | 113 ± 31 | 24.5 (17.6–31.4) | 1.5 | 0.04 |
| VE/VCO2 slope | 35 ± 5 | 30 ± 4 | 4.4 (2.13–6.69) | 0.8 | 0.001 |
| VO2peak (ml/min) | 1.2 ± 0.3 | 1.6 ± 0.3 | 0.34 (0.14–0.54) | 0.73 | 0.002 |
| VE/VVM | 0.60 ± 0.16 | 0.81 ± 0.36 | 0.21 (0.09–0.33) | 0.66 | 0.001 |
| HR peak, beats per minute | 138 ± 24 | 148 ± 20 | 10.2 (3.5–17.0) | 0.64 | 0.005 |
| OUES | 1,679 ± 485 | 1,923 ± 404 | 243.9 (22.8–465.0) | 0.47 | 0.032 |
| VO2peak (ml/kg/min) | 15.6 ± 4.3 | 19.0 ± 6.6 | 3.4 (0.22–6.59) | 0.45 | 0.037 |
| VCO2peak (L/min) | 1.1 ± 0.3 | 1.2 ± 0.2 | 0.11 (0.01–0.21) | 0.35 | 0.068 |
| OUES (% of predicted) | 57 ± 17 | 67 ± 26 | 9.47 (8.1–20.1) | 0.31 | 0.098 |
| VO2peak (% of predicted) | 28.3 ± 4.0 | 32.0 ± 2.0 | 3.6 (3.1–10.2) | 0.2 | 0.287 |
| RER | 1.16 ± 0.09 | 1.18 ± 0.01 | 0.02 (0.01–0.06) | 0.15 | 0.461 |
| Pulmonary function | |||||
| FVC (% predicted) | 86 ± 20 | 99 ± 25 | 12.3 (4.5–20.1) | 0.67 | 0.003 |
| FVC (L) | 2.8 ± 0.7 | 3.0 ± 0.8 | 0.26 (0.08–0.45) | 0.61 | 0.006 |
| FEV1 (% predicted) | 86 ± 14 | 94 ± 21 | 8.2 (2.2–14.2) | 0.57 | 0.01 |
| FEV1 (L) | 2.4 ± 0.1 | 2.8 ± 0.1 | 0.76 (0.51–0.21) | 0.23 | 0.254 |
| Respiratory muscle strength | |||||
| MIP (cmH2O) | 78 ± 23 | 96 ± 27 | 17.3 (6.4–28.3) | 0.67 | 0.003 |
| MIP (% predicted) | 87 ± 9 | 92 ± 9 | 20.4 (1.6–39.3) | 0.55 | 0.525 |
Student's T-test; FEV1, forced expiratory volume at the first minute; FVC, forced vital capacity; MIP, maximum inspiratory pressure; HR: VCO2, carbon dioxide production; V˙O2, oxygen uptake; RER, respiratory exchange ratio; WR, work rate; VE, minute ventilation; VVM, maximal voluntary ventilation; VE/VCO2 slope, linear relation between minute ventilation and carbon dioxide production; OUES, oxygen uptake efficiency slope. Data are ordered by the effect size (Cohen's D) from largest to smallest.