Pain in Veterans with COPD: relationship with physical activity and exercise capacity

Abstract Background Pain is a common but underappreciated symptom experienced by people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The relationships between pain and physical activity (PA) and exercise capacity are poorly understood. Methods This retrospective secondary analysis includes thr...

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Main Authors: Rebecca A. Raphaely, Maria A. Mongiardo, Rebekah L. Goldstein, Stephanie A. Robinson, Emily S. Wan, Marilyn L. Moy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-07-01
Series:BMC Pulmonary Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12890-021-01601-8
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author Rebecca A. Raphaely
Maria A. Mongiardo
Rebekah L. Goldstein
Stephanie A. Robinson
Emily S. Wan
Marilyn L. Moy
author_facet Rebecca A. Raphaely
Maria A. Mongiardo
Rebekah L. Goldstein
Stephanie A. Robinson
Emily S. Wan
Marilyn L. Moy
author_sort Rebecca A. Raphaely
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Pain is a common but underappreciated symptom experienced by people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The relationships between pain and physical activity (PA) and exercise capacity are poorly understood. Methods This retrospective secondary analysis includes three cohorts of Veterans with COPD who participated in longitudinal studies evaluating PA and exercise capacity with objective measures of daily step counts and 6-min walk test (6MWT) distance, respectively. Pain was assessed using the bodily pain domain of the Veterans RAND-36. In two cohorts, participants were randomly assigned to a web-based, pedometer-mediated PA intervention which has previously been demonstrated to improve PA. Results Three-hundred and seventy-three (373) unique study participants were included in this analysis. Eighty-three percent (n = 311) of the population reported at least mild pain and/or at least a little bit of interference due to pain at baseline. Cross-sectionally, greater bodily pain was associated with lower 6MWT distance (β = 0.51; 95% CI 0.20, 0.82; p = 0.0013). Longitudinally, worsening bodily pain was associated with a decline in 6MWT distance (β = 0.30; 95% CI 0.03, 0.58; p = 0.0312). There was no association between baseline bodily pain and baseline daily step counts, baseline bodily pain and change in PA, or change in bodily pain and change in PA. Compared to usual care, our PA intervention improved bodily pain scores (β = 6.17; 95% CI 1.84, 10.45; p = 0.0054). Bodily pain scores did not affect the impact of the intervention on daily step counts. Conclusion Pain is highly prevalent and significantly associated with lower exercise capacity among Veterans with COPD. Worsening pain co-occurred with decline in exercise capacity but not PA. Our intervention reduced pain, although pain did not affect the impact of the intervention on PA.
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spelling doaj.art-1cbf72a42ce049aca69d1d8ed6f64cf42022-12-21T18:23:59ZengBMCBMC Pulmonary Medicine1471-24662021-07-0121111010.1186/s12890-021-01601-8Pain in Veterans with COPD: relationship with physical activity and exercise capacityRebecca A. Raphaely0Maria A. Mongiardo1Rebekah L. Goldstein2Stephanie A. Robinson3Emily S. Wan4Marilyn L. Moy5Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Section, VA Boston Healthcare SystemPulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Section, VA Boston Healthcare SystemPulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Section, VA Boston Healthcare SystemPulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Section, VA Boston Healthcare SystemPulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Section, VA Boston Healthcare SystemPulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Section, VA Boston Healthcare SystemAbstract Background Pain is a common but underappreciated symptom experienced by people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The relationships between pain and physical activity (PA) and exercise capacity are poorly understood. Methods This retrospective secondary analysis includes three cohorts of Veterans with COPD who participated in longitudinal studies evaluating PA and exercise capacity with objective measures of daily step counts and 6-min walk test (6MWT) distance, respectively. Pain was assessed using the bodily pain domain of the Veterans RAND-36. In two cohorts, participants were randomly assigned to a web-based, pedometer-mediated PA intervention which has previously been demonstrated to improve PA. Results Three-hundred and seventy-three (373) unique study participants were included in this analysis. Eighty-three percent (n = 311) of the population reported at least mild pain and/or at least a little bit of interference due to pain at baseline. Cross-sectionally, greater bodily pain was associated with lower 6MWT distance (β = 0.51; 95% CI 0.20, 0.82; p = 0.0013). Longitudinally, worsening bodily pain was associated with a decline in 6MWT distance (β = 0.30; 95% CI 0.03, 0.58; p = 0.0312). There was no association between baseline bodily pain and baseline daily step counts, baseline bodily pain and change in PA, or change in bodily pain and change in PA. Compared to usual care, our PA intervention improved bodily pain scores (β = 6.17; 95% CI 1.84, 10.45; p = 0.0054). Bodily pain scores did not affect the impact of the intervention on daily step counts. Conclusion Pain is highly prevalent and significantly associated with lower exercise capacity among Veterans with COPD. Worsening pain co-occurred with decline in exercise capacity but not PA. Our intervention reduced pain, although pain did not affect the impact of the intervention on PA.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12890-021-01601-8Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)PainPhysical activity (PA)Exercise capacity6-Minute walk test (6MWT)Physical activity intervention
spellingShingle Rebecca A. Raphaely
Maria A. Mongiardo
Rebekah L. Goldstein
Stephanie A. Robinson
Emily S. Wan
Marilyn L. Moy
Pain in Veterans with COPD: relationship with physical activity and exercise capacity
BMC Pulmonary Medicine
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Pain
Physical activity (PA)
Exercise capacity
6-Minute walk test (6MWT)
Physical activity intervention
title Pain in Veterans with COPD: relationship with physical activity and exercise capacity
title_full Pain in Veterans with COPD: relationship with physical activity and exercise capacity
title_fullStr Pain in Veterans with COPD: relationship with physical activity and exercise capacity
title_full_unstemmed Pain in Veterans with COPD: relationship with physical activity and exercise capacity
title_short Pain in Veterans with COPD: relationship with physical activity and exercise capacity
title_sort pain in veterans with copd relationship with physical activity and exercise capacity
topic Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Pain
Physical activity (PA)
Exercise capacity
6-Minute walk test (6MWT)
Physical activity intervention
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12890-021-01601-8
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