Physical activity, sex differences, and functional exercise capacity in bronchiectasis: Insights from a South Asian cohort.

Lower physical activity was weakly associated with greater dyspnoea severity in adults with stable bronchiectasis.

• Association measured using Spearman correlation (rs = -0.344) between PA and mMRC dyspnoea scale scores.
• Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).
• Sample size was 55 adults with stable bronchiectasis from a South Asian cohort.
• The association was described as weak in magnitude.

Lower physical activity was weakly associated with shorter disease duration in adults with bronchiectasis.

• Spearman correlation coefficient rs = 0.275 between PA and disease duration.
• This suggests that individuals with longer disease duration reported higher physical activity levels.
• Both PA correlates (dyspnoea and disease duration) were identified via correlation analyses.

Females had shorter absolute six-minute walk distances than males but no significant difference in percentage predicted 6MWD.

• Females walked approximately 57 metres less than males in absolute 6MWD.
• Despite the absolute difference, percentage predicted 6MWD did not differ significantly between sexes.
• The six-minute walk distance (6MWD) was used as the measure of functional exercise capacity.
• This sex-based discrepancy suggests the absolute difference may be attributable to anthropometric differences rather than disease-specific impairment.

Females reported higher self-reported physical activity levels than males despite shorter absolute walking distances.

• Females reported approximately 1350 MET-minutes/week more physical activity than males.
• Physical activity was self-reported via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire.
• This discrepancy between self-reported PA and objective walking performance highlights potential measurement considerations in sex-based comparisons.

Reduced 6MWD was correlated with multiple demographic, clinical, and functional variables.

• Variables correlated with reduced 6MWD included: older age, lower BHQ (Bronchiectasis Health Questionnaire) score, female sex, increased exacerbation frequency, greater dyspnoea severity, and higher radiological severity.
• Associations were examined using correlation analyses and multivariate regression.
• Health status was measured using the Bronchiectasis Health Questionnaire (BHQ).
• Dyspnoea was assessed using the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale.

Dyspnoea severity was the strongest independent predictor of functional exercise capacity in the multivariate regression model.

• Dyspnoea severity (mMRC scale) emerged as the strongest predictor of 6MWD in multivariate regression analysis.
• Radiological severity was also identified as an independent predictor of reduced 6MWD.
• These two variables independently predicted functional exercise capacity after accounting for other variables.
• Predictors were identified from a pool including age, sex, BHQ score, exacerbation frequency, dyspnoea severity, and radiological severity.