Baseline characteristics of the randomised study population
| Randomised patients (n = 199) | ||
| INTERCOM (n = 102) | Usual care (n = 97) | |
| Gender (% male) | 71% | 71% |
| Age (years) | 65.9 (8.8) | 67.2 (8.9) |
| Co-morbidities (n) | 1.6 (1.6) | 1.5 (1.4) |
| Exacerbations in 12 months before trial (n) | 1.2 (1.4) | 1.0 (1.5) |
| COPD hospital admissions in 12 months before trial (n) | 0.24 (0.52) | 0.23 (0.50) |
| Current smokers (%) | 33% | 24% |
| Smoking (pack-years) | 38.5 (25.2) | 36.1 (26.4) |
| FEV1 (% predicted) | 58 (17) | 60 (15) |
| FEV1/FVC (%) | 49 (11) | 51 (12) |
| % patients FEV1 >50% predicted | 72% | 65% |
| % patients FEV1 ⩽50% predicted | 28% | 35% |
| SGRQ Total score* | 39 (15) | 38 (15) |
| SGRQ Activity score | 55 (18) | 56 (19) |
| SGRQ Symptom score | 45 (19) | 41 (22) |
| SGRQ Impact score | 27 (16) | 25 (16) |
| Total MRC score† | 1.7 (1.0) | 1.5 (0.9) |
| 6-min walk test (% predicted) | 80 (13) | 83 (12) |
| Wmax (% predicted) | 60 (19) | 61 (17) |
| HGF (% predicted) | 77 (17) | 78 (18) |
| QPT (% predicted) | 95 (21) | 92 (23) |
| Fat-free mass (kg/m2) | 17.1 (2.0) | 17.6 (1.9) |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 26.1 (4.4) | 27.3 (4.7) |
Data are n (%) or mean (SD).
*St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire: a higher score indicates a worse quality of life.
†Modified MRC dyspnoea score.
BMI, body mass index; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FFM, fat-free mass; FVC, forced vital capacity; HGF, handgrip force; 6MWD, 6-minute walking distance; QPT, isometric quadriceps peak torque; SGRQ, St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire; Wmax, peak exercise capacity.