Chuang 2017.

Study characteristics
Methods	Study design: RCT Study grouping: parallel‐group
Participants	Baseline characteristics IMT N (randomized/analyzed): 30/27 Loss to follow‐up or excluded: 3 Age, mean (SD), in years: 66.22 (12.76) Gender (M/F): 17/10 Control/sham N (randomized/analyzed): 30/28 Loss to follow‐up or excluded: 2 Age, mean (SD), in years: 66.04 (10.99) Gender (M/F): 19/9 Overall N (randomized/analyzed): 60/55 Loss to follow‐up or excluded: 5 Gender (M/F): 36/19 COPD stage (GOLD): moderate to very severe Included criteria Outpatients with a stable condition Showed airflow limitation on pulmonary function test, that is FEV1 < 80% and FEV1/FVC < 70% Participants were conscious and able to express themselves orally, were self‐walkers and co‐operated with the intervention. Excluded criteria Cardiovascular diseases Severe unstable diseases, such as pulmonary heart disease or cancer Ongoing oxygen treatment Muscle power rating < 5 ADL scale score < 80 Severe mental illness
Interventions	Intervention characteristics IMT: the training was conducted 5 d/week, for 8 weeks. Each session lasted for 21–30 min. It consisted of a cycle of 2 min inspiratory training with a pressure threshold loading device and 1 min of rest, and then repeated 7 cycles. The training load ranged from 15 cmH20 to 40 cmH2O. Each participant was followed up once a day by phone from Monday–Friday, and visits were made by research assistants every 2 weeks to increase the pressure threshold loading progressively after assessing the participant’s condition. Control: no intervention was received by this group.
Outcomes	Dyspnea: BDI Functional exercise capacity: 6MWD HRQoL: SF‐36 Questionnaire Physiological functions Mental functions Respiratory muscle strength: PImax
Identification	Country: Taiwan Author's name: Hsiao‐Yun Chang Institution: Department of Nursing, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung City Email: chang369@gmail.com Address: Taiwan
Notes