BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that patients with COPD struggle to maintain improved physical activity (PA) after completing pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Smartphone applications (apps) providing a comprehensive training programme have conferred healthy benefits. This study was conducted to determine whether regular usage of an app maintains PA following PR. METHODS: Patients with stage II to IV COPD were enrolled in a 6-month trial following PR. After the screening period, participants were randomised into the Kaia COPD app group (intervention group (IG)) or the control group (CG). The primary outcome was PA (daily steps), measured using an activity tracker. Secondary outcomes included the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRQ) and the 1 min Sit-to-Stand Test (STST). RESULTS: Sixty participants completed the study. The median steps from baseline to 6 months were significantly different between the groups, in favour of the IG (-105.3, IQR -1970.1 to 2105.8, versus CG -1173.0, IQR -3813.1 to -93.8; p = 0.007). CAT was significantly decreased in the IG (15.1 +/- 8.6 versus 19.7 +/- 6.4, p = 0.02), whereas the CRQ subdomains for dyspnoea (4.5 +/- 1.7 versus 3.7 +/- 1.3, p = 0.033) and fatigue (4.5 +/- 1.4 versus 3.5 +/- 1.3, p = 0.028) improved significantly in the IG. The STST at 6 months was not significant. Sleep duration and sleep efficiency showed no significant differences between the two groups at any time. CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive program by using the Kaia app following PR maintained PA and improved symptoms in patients with COPD at 6 months. The app might be an important accessory tool for enhanced COPD care. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Drks00017275.
Reproduced with permission from the BMJ Publishing Group.

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