Subject characteristics at baseline (n=119)
| Characteristic description | Data at baseline |
| Age, years | 65.4 (9.2) |
| Male | 64 (53.8) |
| Years of education | 11.2 (4.0) |
| Current smoker | 23 (19.3) |
| Pack years | 58.8 (39.0–67.5) |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 27.2 (5.9) |
| Post-BD FEV1, l | 1.07 (0.32) |
| Post-BD FEV1, % predicted | 43.9 (13.3) |
| Post-BD FEV1/FVC | 0.43 (0.11) |
| 6-min walking distance, m | 339 (284–395) |
| Dyspnoea score (MRC) | |
| 2/5 | 29 (24.6) |
| 3/5 | 53 (44.9) |
| 4/5 | 25 (21.2) |
| 5/5 | 11 (9.3) |
| ER visits for COPD in previous 12 months | 0.65 (1.05) |
| ICS and LABD | 91 (76.5) |
| Comorbidity | |
| Depressive symptoms* | 32 (29.9) |
| Cardiac disease† | 29 (24.4) |
| Exacerbation intervention plan prior to study | 48 (41.0) |
| Influenza vaccination | 95 (80.5) |
| Intervention group in RCT‡ | |
| Home-based rehabilitation | 60 (50.4) |
| Hospital-based rehabilitation | 59 (49.6) |
Data are expressed as mean (SD) or median (IQR) for continuous variables or number (%) for categorical variables.
↵* Depressive symptoms were measured with the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Numbers presented include scores suggestive for depression (score ≥ 6 points).
↵† Cardiac disease includes chronic heart failure, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction and arrhythmia.
↵‡ Canadian pulmonary rehabilitation trial (http://ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00169897).
AP, action plan; BD, bronchodilator; BMI, body mass index; ER, emergency room; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity; ICS, inhaled corticosteroid; LABD, long-acting bronchodilator; MRC, Medical Research Council.