Relationship between daily life activities and upper extremity exercise capacity in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Abstract

Background: Exercise capacity impairment has been shown before for in patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) but upper extremity exercises capacity impacts on activities of daily living are not clear yet. Aims: To determine the relationship between exercise capacity and activities of daily living in patients with PAH. Methods: 10 women totally 16 PAH patients (New York Heart Association Class II–III) were included in the study. Patients were the sum of the patients who were diagnosed idiopathic PAH, connective tissue disease with PAH and congenital heart disease with PAH. For upper extremity muscle strength shoulder flexion and abduction, elbow extension and flexion were assessed by hand held dynamometer, and grip strength was measured by hand grip. Activities of daily living was questioned by Milliken Activities of Daily Living Scale (MAS). Upper extremity functional exercise capacity was assessed by the 6-Minute Pegboard and Ring Test (6PBRT). Results: The median age of the patients were 44 (IQR,24–64) years and, the median pulmonary arterial pressure was 95,0 (IQR,75,0–100,0) mmHg. According to the Spearman Correlation analysis result we found significant relationship between MAS score and 6PBRT score (ρ=0.596, p 0.05). Conclusions: Upper extremity functional exercise capacity affected daily life activities more than upper extremity muscle strength in patients with PAH. This study suggest that exercises which improve functional exercise capacity of upper extremity should be in pulmonary rehabilitation programs.