Influence of Chronic Hypoxia on Oxidative Phenotype in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Influence of Chronic Hypoxia on Oxidative Phenotype in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
In addition to chronic airflow obstruction, patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
 Disease (COPD) suffer from skeletal muscle dysfunction which is a prominent and disabling
 feature and also an independent determinant of survival. Muscular impairment involves loss of
 muscle oxidative phenotype (OXPHEN: a slow-to-fast shift in fibre types and reduced oxidative
 capacity). Since hypoxia obviously is a key feature of COPD, the aim of this study is to
 elucidate the role of hypoxia in loss of muscle OXPHEN.

 Thus, OXPHEN and expression levels of its key regulators will be determined in the baseline
 biopsies for association with the degree of hypoxemia. In addition, expression levels of the
 key OXPHEN regulators will be measured in pre/post exercise biopsies.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Diagnosis of COPD confirmed according to GOLD score.

 -  Hypoxemia group: resting arterial paO2 <55 mmHg.

 -  Normoxemia group : resting arterial paO2 > 67 mmHg

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Unstable cardiorespiratory status (acute respiratory failure)

 -  Oxygen treatment started

 -  Inclusion in a pulmonary rehabilitation program in the last 6 months

 -  Anticoagulant treatment