Page 36 - JCTR-11-4

Journal of Clinical and

Translational Research

REVIEW ARTICLE
Effect of physical exercise on functional capacity

and dyspnea in patients with chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease: A systematic review and

meta-analysis

André Luiz Lisboa Cordeiro* , Lailla de Matos Leão , and Vitória Kailane
Maciel de Figueiredo Jesus

Department of Physiotherapy, Nobre University Center, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Functional capacity is significantly impaired in patients with chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as they tend to lead a less active lifestyle
compared to healthy controls. Physical activity offers several benefits for COPD
patients, including a reduction in mortality risk, fewer hospitalizations due to illness,
and improved functional capacity. Objective: To review the effects of physical
exercise on the functional capacity of COPD patients. Methods: The databases
*Corresponding author: PubMed, Web of Science, OVID, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Latin
André Luiz Lisboa Cordeiro American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, and Scientific Electronic Library
(andre.cordeiro@gruponobre.net) Online were searched without language restrictions. Randomized controlled trials
Citation: Cordeiro ALL, Leão LDM, investigating the effects of physical exercise on COPD patients were included. Study
de Figueiredo Jesus VKM. Effect selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were conducted independently.
of physical exercise on functional RevMan software (version 5.3) was used for the meta-analysis. Results: Five studies
capacity and dyspnea in patients
with chronic obstructive pulmonary were identified from the database search. Compared to the control group, the
disease: A systematic review and 6-min walking distance improved in the experimental group (mean difference [MD]:
meta-analysis. J Clin Transl Res. 43.12 m; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.70 – 86.94). Notably, Borg scale scores
2025;11(4):30-40.
doi: 10.36922/jctr.25.00004 (MD: −0.24 points; 95% CI: −0.72 – 0.25) did not differ significantly between groups.
Conclusion: Exercise may improve the functional capacity of patients with COPD.
Received: February 1, 2025
Relevance for patients: Exercise interventions may enhance walking ability in COPD
Revised: April 22, 2025 patients, potentially improving daily function and quality of life.
Accepted: May 26, 2025
Published online: June 23, 2025 Keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Dyspnea; Exercise capacity;
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s). Pulmonary rehabilitation
This is an open-access article
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons AttributionNon-
Commercial 4.0 International (CC
BY-NC 4.0), which permits all 1. Introduction
non-commercial use, distribution,
and reproduction in any medium, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory condition
provided the original work is characterized by persistent airflow limitation, usually associated with a chronic
properly cited. inflammatory response in the airways and lungs. The impact of this disease on the
1
Publisher’s Note: AccScience functional capacity of patients is significant, as the progression of COPD leads to a
Publishing remains neutral with gradual decline in quality of life, with limitations in daily activities and a reduced ability
regard to jurisdictional claims in 1,2
published maps and institutional to perform physical exertion. Dyspnea, one of the main symptoms of COPD, often
2
affiliations. worsens as functional capacity declines, making everyday tasks increasingly challenging.

Volume 11 Issue 4 (2025) 30 doi: 10.36922/jctr.25.00004