Quadriceps maximum voluntary contraction (QMVC), quadriceps twitch response to femoral nerve stimulation and voluntary muscle activation during a QMVC (TwInt) at baseline and 3 months
| UC (n=12) | PEPR (n=11) | PEPR vs UC | |||
| Baseline | 3 months | Baseline | 3 months | Difference (95% CI), p value* | |
| QMVC (kg) | 29.0 (14.2) | 27.8 (15.2) | 24.5 (6.3) | 30.4 (8.1) | 7.3 (3.2 to 11.5), p<0.01 |
| TwQ (kg) | 8.8 (4.0) | 8.2 (3.4) | 6.9 (2.7) | 8.7 (3.0) | 2.2 (0.9 to 3.5), p<0.01 |
| TwInt (aU) | 0.90 (0.10) | 0.88 (0.13) | 0.93 (0.08) | 0.97 (0.04) | 0.07 (0.01 to 0.14), p=0.04 |
↵* ANCOVA (covariates: allocation group and baseline value).
PEPR, post-exacerbation pulmonary rehabilitation; QMVC, quadriceps maximum voluntary contraction; TwInt, twitch interpolation; TwQ, quadriceps twitch; UC, usual care.