Table 1 Baseline characteristics of study participants

Sex

 Male

30

27

 Female

2

3

Age, mean (SD), years

71.9 (7.0)

72.1 (7.0)

Body mass index, mean (SD), kg/m²

21.3 (3.9)

21.7 (3.9)

Modified MRC dyspnea scale, mean (SD)

1.9 (1.2)

2.2 (1.0)

Brinkman index, mean (SD)^a

1461.0 (775.7)

1258.2 (512.4)

GOLD criteria

 II

13

6

 III

7

13

 IV

12

11

Home oxygen therapy

10

8

6MWT

 6MWD, mean (SD), m

405.2 (111.2)

373.2 (115.2)

 Leg fatigue, Borg scale, mean (SD)

5.1 (1.9)

5.7 (3.3)

 Dyspnea, Borg scale, mean (SD)

4.2 (2.7)

5.5 (2.8)

 SpO2, mean (SD), % lowest value

88.3 (6.1)

86.0 (7.0)

Pulmonary function, mean (SD)

 VC, L

3.15 (0.67)

2.88 (0.52)

 VC, % predicted

100.3 (19.4)

94.6 (14.1)

 IC, L

1.91 (0.50)

1.75 (0.37)

 ERV, L

1.25 (0.32)

1.13 (0.38)

 FVC, L

2.99 (0.67)

2.79 (0.55)

 FEV1, L

1.15 (0.41)

1.04 (0.30)

 FEV1, % predicted

47.9 (16.7)

46.0 (16.6)

 FEV1/FVC, %

38.1 (11.3)

37.8 (11.8)