Influence of Different Body Positioning on Dynamic Lung Functions in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients and in Normal Subjects–A Comparative Study

Abstract

Background and purpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease represents a substantial economic and social burden throughout the world. Along with pharmacological interventions, all current treatment guidelines emphasize the role of pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD subjects for making them fit at their physical performance and activities of daily living but current treatment guidelines does not emphasize much about the role of body positioning in COPD subjects . The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different body positioning on dynamic lung functions in COPD and in normal subjects. Methodology: Two groups consisting of 15 COPD and 15 normal subjects aged 40 to 65 years participated in the study. Their dynamic lung functions including FEV1, FEV6, FEV1/FEV6 and PEFR were measured in randomized order in different body positions i.e. standing, sitting, 3/4 sitting, long sitting, supine lying, sidelying right, sidelying left and headdown position. Results: For all the lung functions, the calculated ‘F’ values when measured showed larger values than tabulated values in COPD and in normal groups. Conclusion: It is concluded that there is significant difference in the effect of different body positioning on dynamic lung functions in COPD and normal subjects with the maximum results in standing and least in headdown position.