The relationship between vitamin D level and physical fitness in individuals diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between vitamin D level and physical fitness parameters in individuals diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study was carried out on 45 volunteer patients with COPD who applied to SANKO University Sani Konukoğlu Application and Research Hospital Chest Diseases outpatient clinic between March 2023 and March 2024. The study included 45 patients, 39 males and 6 females, with a mean age of 62±14,79 years. Patients participating in the study were evaluated with the Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnoea Scale (mMRC), COPD Assessment Test (CAT), Hand Grip Strength Measurement Test, Quadriceps Femoris Muscle Strength Measurement Test, Sit-and-Reach Test, Flamingo Balance Test (FDT) and 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT). IBM SPSS Statistics 22 programme was used for statistical analysis of the data. Statistical analyses revealed that 69% of our patients had vitamin D deficiency. A significant correlation was found between age and dominant and nondominant hand grip strength, dominant and nondominant quadriceps muscle strength and 6DYT distance in patients with vitamin D deficiency (p<0.05). In conclusion, vitamin D deficiency was found in the majority of patients with COPD. It was concluded that hand grip strength, quadriceps muscle strength and functional capacity of patients with vitamin D deficiency may be negatively affected with aging. There is a need for regular monitoring of vitamin D levels in individuals with COPD and large-sample studies which evaluates peripheral muscle strength and functional capacity in patients with vitamin D deficiency. Keywords: Copd; vitamin D; physical fitness; muscle strength.