Respiratory medicine
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Respiratory medicine · Oct 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyEvaluation of withdrawal of maintenance tiotropium in COPD.
In chronic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), patients may not perceive all of the benefits of drug therapy until withdrawal. Thus, we evaluated the effect of tiotropium withdrawal on clinical variables. ⋯ The withdrawal of tiotropium results in worsening of COPD over a three-week interval. There was no evidence of a rebound effect in response to tiotropium withdrawal.
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Respiratory medicine · Oct 2009
Randomized Controlled TrialAerobic exercise training improves autonomic nervous control in patients with COPD.
Autonomic modulation is adversely impacted in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The purpose of the present investigation is to assess the effects of a 6-week aerobic exercise training program on autonomic modulation of heart rate in patients with COPD. ⋯ Neural control of heart rate, in addition to other clinically valuable measures, is positively altered in moderate-severe COPD patients following 6 weeks of aerobic exercise training. The improvement in submaximal performance after exercise training was associated with parasympathetic activity.