Description
Measurements were taken before and after pulmonary rehabilitation, with the primary endpoint being the distance covered in the incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT) after six weeks. Sixty-eight patients (intervention n = 36, control n = 32) were recruited. During pulmonary rehabilitation, patients took the carbohydrate control supplement twice daily and attended pulmonary rehabilitation twice weekly. The participants' experiences with the supplements were evaluated. As this was a pilot study, neither muscle mass nor quadriceps strength were assessed. This measure would allow a more accurate assessment of the effects of the intervention on the muscles of the lower limbs. Especially in obese patients, thigh circumference may not be the most reliable measurement. It is possible that the results were influenced by baseline data, which differed between groups in terms of age, number of hospitalizations and quality of life. Although it was not possible to administer a placebo that exactly matched the intervention, we were able to relabel both products without this being known to the patients or the investigator. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the study had to be discontinued and further research is needed into the potential benefits of supplements in this population.