Development, Validity and Reliability of the Londrina Activities of Daily Living Protocol for Subjects With COPD

BACKGROUND: To avoid symptoms, patients with COPD may reduce the amount of activities of daily living (ADL). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to develop a standardized protocol to evaluate ADL performance in subjects with COPD (Londrina ADL protocol) and to assess the validity and reliability of the protocol in this population. METHODS: The Londrina ADL protocol was created based on activities included in previous studies aimed at investigating outcomes from ADL. Activities were included in the protocol because they could represent other activities of similar patterns and because they could be actually performed, not simulated. Twenty subjects with COPD (12 men, 70 +/- 7 y old, FEV1 = 54 +/- 15% predicted) wore 2 motion sensors while performing the protocol 4 times, 2 of them wearing a portable gas analyzer. Subjects were also submitted to assessments of lung function, functional exercise capacity, functional status, impact on health status, and physical activity in daily life. RESULTS: The Londrina ADL protocol comprised of 5 activities representing ADL, involving upper limbs, lower limbs, and trunk movements. Londrina ADL protocol duration presented high values of intraclass correlation coefficient, even using a mask for gas analysis (intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.90, P <.001). Intensity of movement during the protocol performance was highly correlated to intensity of movement in daily life (r =0.71). The protocol duration was correlated with functional status and impact on health status variables from questionnaires (0.36 <= r <= 0.59). There was also correlation between functional exercise capacity and the protocol duration (r = -0.64). CONCLUSIONS: The Londrina ADL protocol was a valid and reliable protocol to evaluate ADL performance in subjects with COPD. It is a protocol that can be used in clinical practice and in future studies to investigate ADL outcomes, including those studies that require gas analysis and the wearing of a mask. (C) 2017 Daedalus Enterprises