SynthesisTherapeutic advances in respiratory disease
Optimal intensity and type of lower limb aerobic training for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of RCTs.
Synthesis in Therapeutic advances in respiratory disease. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy combined with conventional physical therapy for chronic low back pain: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in physiology · 2026Pooled it
- Inspiratory Muscle Training for Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Narrative Review.Cureus · 2026Review
- The Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Prognosis, Quality of Life, and Psychological Outcomes of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (Miami, Fla.) · 2026Article
- Targeting dyspnoea through exercise intensity: insights from pulmonary rehabilitation and beyond, a narrative review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2026Review
- A Retrospective Controlled Study on the Effects of Four-Limb Linkage Training on Clinical Efficacy and Antioxidative Mechanisms in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease · 2026Article
- Global trends and research hotspots in pulmonary rehabilitation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a bibliometric analysis (2011-2024).Journal of thoracic disease · 2025Article
- The Effect of Aerobic Training on Healthy Small Airways-A Forced Oscillation Technique Approach to Optimize Long Term Care in COPD.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Body roundness index and its role in predicting COPD risk: insights from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging and the health and retirement study.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundLower limb aerobic exercise is the core component of pulmonary rehabilitation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The optimal intensity and type (e.g., interval or continuous) of exercise training remains to be determined.
objectivesWe aimed to evaluate the optimal intensities and types of lower limb aerobic exercise in patients with COPD.
designSystematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. DATA SOURCES AND
methodsThe PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for relevant data. The interventions were classified according to their intensity and type as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), high-intensity continuous training (HICT), moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), and low-intensity continuous training (LICT). We assessed exercise capacity using peak work rate (Wpeak) and the 6-min walking test (6-MWT). Lung function was evaluated by measuring peak minute ventilation (VE) and the percentage of predicted FEV
resultsFifteen studies were identified (979 subjects). HIIT showed the greatest improvement in Wpeak, 6-MWT, VE, and mMRC compared to usual care (MD 18.48 (95% CI 12.35, 24.60), 67.73 (34.89, 100.57), 6.26 (2.81, 9.72), and -0.53 (-0.89, -0.17), respectively) and showed the improvement in CRQ (MD 10.80 (95% CI 1.65, 19.95)). MICT showed improvement in Wpeak and 6-MWT (MD 18.28 (95% CI 11.20, 25.22), 61.92 (28.34, 95.51)) similar to HICT (MD 16.08 (95% CI 8.19, 23.84), 64.64 (28.70, 100.57)) and showed the highest improvement in CRQ compared to usual care (MD 10.83 (95% CI 1.68, 19.98)). LICT significantly improved Wpeak compared to usual care (MD 13.47 (95% CI 4.77, 22.13)). The quality of evidence for outcomes varied from very low to moderate.
conclusionHIIT and MICT might be optimal training approaches for patients with COPD. LICT exhibited limited clinical efficacy. While HICT was as effective as MICT, it caused more dyspnea.
trial registrationThis systematic review and network meta-analysis was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (No. CRD 42024520134).
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.