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. 2020 Mar 30;12:22. doi: 10.1186/s13102-020-00167-y

Table 1.

Description of high intensity interval training compared to continuous exercise training studies in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Study Type of exercise and population Interval exercise Continuous exercise Frequency
Previous review [39]

aArnadottir [53]

n = 60

2007

Cycling in people with COPD

≥ 80% peak power, followed by 30 to 40% peak power

Duration: 39 min (intervals of 3 min: 3 min)

≥ 65% peak power

Duration: 39 min

2 x per week for 16 weeks

Coppoolse [54]

n = 21

1999

Cycling in people with COPD

90% peak power interspersed with 45% peak power, plus continuous cycling at 60%

Duration: 30 min (intervals of 1 min: 2 min)

60% peak power

Duration: 30 min

5 x per week for 8 weeks

Mador [55]

n = 41

2009

Cycling or treadmill in people with COPD

150% of continuous exercise target interspersed with 75% of target

Duration: 20 to 40 min (intervals of 1 min:

2 min)

50% peak power and at 80% of 6MWT average speed

Duration: 20 to 40 min

3 x per week for 8 weeks

Nasis [56]

n = 42

2009

Cycling in people with COPD

100% peak power and 45% peak power

Duration: 30 to 40 min (intervals of 30 s)

60% peak power

Duration: 30 to 40 min

3 x per week for 10 weeks

a Puhan [57]

n = 98

2006

Cycling in people with COPD

50% peak power of a steep-ramp test, followed by 10% peak power

Duration: 25 min (intervals of 20 s:

40 s)

≥ 70% peak power

Duration: 25 min

5 x per week for 3 weeks

Varga [58]

n = 71

2007

Cycling in people with COPD

50% peak power interspersed with 10% peak power

Duration: 45 min (intervals of 20 s:

40 s)

≥ 70% peak power

Duration: 45 min

3 x per week for 8 weeks

Vogiatzis [30]

n = 36

2002

Cycling in people with COPD

100% peak power and 45% peak power (intervals increased progressively to 140% peak power)

Duration: 40 min (intervals of 30 s)

50% peak power, increasing to 70% by the end of the program

Duration: 40 min

2 x per week for 12 weeks

Vogiatzis [59]

n = 19

2005

Cycling in people with COPD

100% peak power and 45% peak power, (intervals increased progressively to 140% peak power)

Duration: 45 min (intervals of 30 s)

60% peak power, increasing to 70% by the end of the program

Duration: 45 min

3 x per week for 10 weeks
Additional studies

aBrØnstad [60]

n = 20

2013

Uphill treadmill walking in people with COPD

~  90% maximal heart rate (‘work’)

Duration: 38 min (intervals of 4 min: 4 min)

70% maximum heart rate

Duration: 47 min

3 x per week for 10 weeks

Rodriguez [61]

n = 29

2016

Cycling in people with COPD

70 to 100% Wmax (progressively increased over the program), interspersed with 40 to 50% Wmax

Duration: 40 min (intervals of 2 min: 3 min)

60% Wmax

Duration: 40 min

3 x per week for 8 weeks

Abbreviations: 6MWD six minute walk distance, 6MWT six minute walk test, CI confidence interval, COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, VO2peak peak rate of oxygen uptake, Wmax maximum work rate. a identifies studies whereby the total work undertaken was unmatched between exercise training programs. The studies by Puhan et al. [57] and Varga et al. [58] report prescribing an intensity equivalent to 50% peak power of a steep-ramp test. This protocol is known to produce much higher maximum work rates than the traditional incremental / ramp protocols. In both studies, the authors clarify that work rates equivalent to 50% of the maximum achieved on this test is the equivalent to ~ 90% of maximum work rate achieved during traditional protocols. Rodriguez at al [61] reported that during the first 2 weeks of the program, cycling at high work rate was set to a minimum of 70% Wmax and was thereafter increased at 5% every week so that by week 3, training was being undertaken at a sufficiently high intensity to be classified as ‘HIIT’