Validation of a Questionnaire for Physical Activity in COPD: Maugeri Physical Activity Questionnaire (MaPAct)

Patients affected from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation in terms of exercise capacity, symptoms and health-related quality of life whereas the effect on physical activity is still not clear. Some studies have investigated the effect of exercise training on daily physical activity. However, there is considerable variability in study findings, data are discordant and the effect of exercise training on physical activity is unclear. There are probably a number of reasons to account for this. First of all, the choice of the method for evaluating physical activity. Although direct observation, double-labelled water and calorimetry are considered the gold standard for assessing physical activity, they are too time consuming and expensive to be used in large population studies .The Physical Activity (PA) of patients with COPD can be assessed using questionnaires. A variety of questionnaires exist that capture different aspects of physical activity such as amount, type, intensity, symptom experience and limitations in the performance of ''activities of daily life''. Up to now, it still does not exist an instrument that evaluates the physical activity of COPD patients in Italian language that takes in account Italian people' lifestyle. Since this is strongly influenced by the environment, cultural and social conditions in which we live, it is essential to have an instrument specifically tailored for the population under study. Aim of this study is to validate the Maugeri Physical Activity questionnaire (MaPAct) in COPD patients pointing to assess self-perceived physical activity.