Table 2. Characteristics of the study groups.
| Healthy subjects | COPD patients | |
|---|---|---|
| n | 8 | 12 |
| Gender (M/F) | 7/1 | 9/3 |
| Age (yrs) | 62 [57.0–67.5] | 59.0 [54.0–62.8] |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 25.9 [24.3–27.8] | 21.6 [19.0–26.0] |
| FFMI (kg/m2) | 19.4 [18.4–20.5] | 17.1 [15.0–18.3] |
| FEV1 (% pred.) | 102.0 [93.0–105.0] | 32.0 [26.8–47.5] |
| FEV1/FVC (%) | 75.0 [68.8–81.5] | 39.0 [32.0–41.0] |
| 6MWD (% pred.) | 88.0 [83.5–97.0] | 68.0 [55.5–71.5] |
| qMVC (kg) | 27.7 [25.1–31.6] | 17.6 [12.9–32.2] |
| BODE index | - | 5.0 [4.3–8.5] |
Definition of abbreviations: BMI = body mass index; FFMI = fat-free mass index; FEV1 = forced expiratory volume in 1 second; FVC = forced vital capacity; 6MWD = 6-minute walking distance; qMVC = quadriceps muscle voluntary contraction. The BODE index takes into account the body mass index, the airflow obstruction, the functional dyspnea, and the exercise capacity [18]. Values are presented as median [25th percentile-75th percentile].