Abstract

"Background: Health related quality of life (QoL) is severely impaired in COPD patients as a consequence of dyspnea and limited exercise tolerance, which lead to physical deconditioning and muscle atrophy resulting in weakness and fatigue. Psychosocial factors such as depression and anxiety also contribute to this impairment. Aim: To evaluate: a) the impact of COPD on quality of life, and b) the effect of 10 weeks of exercise training on exercise performance and on QoL. Patients and methods: The Spanish version of the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ) was applied to 55 COPD patients (FEV1 37