Effect on health‐related quality of life of ongoing feedback during a 12‐month maintenance walking programme in patients with COPD: a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Background and objective In patients with COPD, this study evaluated the effect on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) of adding ongoing feedback to a 12‐month unsupervised maintenance walking programme. Methods Participants were randomized to either an intervention group (IG) or control group (CG). Both groups completed the same 2‐month supervised, walking training programme followed by a 12‐month unsupervised maintenance walking programme. During the maintenance programme, the IG received ongoing feedback (telephone calls, biofeedback and progressive goal setting) and the CG received no feedback. Results A total of 75 participants completed the study (mean (SD): age 69 (8) years; forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) 43 (15) % predicted). There was no between‐group differences in the magnitude of change in HRQoL when data collected on completion of the 12‐month maintenance programme were compared with that collected either before the 2‐month supervised programme (mean between‐group difference (MD) in total St George's Respiratory Questionnaire change scores: 1 point, 95% CI: −9 to 7) or on completion of the 2‐month supervised programme (MD: 4 points, 95% CI −2 to 10). Conclusion Following a 2‐month supervised walking training programme, ongoing feedback was no more effective than no feedback in maintaining HRQoL during a 12‐month unsupervised walking programme. Ongoing feedback (telephone calls and biofeedback) was no more effective than no feedback during a 12‐month unsupervised walking programme that followed a short‐term supervised walking programme. Based on these findings, further research is needed to investigate the optimal design of unsupervised maintenance programmes in patients with COPD.