Protein Supplementation to Enhance Exercise Capacity in COPD Patients

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    A Double-Blind, Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Protein Supplementation to enhance Exercise Capacity in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

  • IRAS ID

    244023

  • Contact name

    Swapna Mandal

  • Contact email

    s.mandal@ucl.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    University College London

  • Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

    UCL Data Protection, Z6364106/2018/06/10

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 11 months, 2 days

  • Research summary

    Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common smoking-related lung disease.

    Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) - a six-week supervised group exercise and education class - is an effective intervention in COPD to reduce symptoms, improve exercise performance and prevent exacerbations. Exercise intolerance/limitation is one of the commonest issues with COPD patients and this may be compounded by reduced muscle mass and malnutrition. COPD patients lose body weight and skeletal muscle mass which leads to muscle weakness and dysfunction, thus impacting functional ability and quality of life. Muscle weakness is caused by a prolonged sedentary lifestyle and voluntary immobilisation. Importantly, being under-weight is associated with an increased risk of mortality in COPD.

    Nutritional supplements have been used to overcome malnutrition in COPD patients. It has been shown that nutritional support integrated with exercise training can improve exercise activity, decreased the risk of mortality, and improve muscle strength in undernourished COPD patients. However, uptake of nutritional supplementation during pulmonary rehabilitation, where the potential benefit may be greatest, has been limited by an absence of rigorous evidence-based studies supporting use.

    We want to investigate the effect of a nutritional supplement during a PR program on exercise capacity in COPD patients. We will collect demographic data, distribute questionnaires, measure exercise performance, and some additional measurements.

  • REC name

    London - Central Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    18/LO/1842

  • Date of REC Opinion

    19 Nov 2018

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion