During the last decade, it has become clear that inflammatory mechanisms are key players in pathological processes of several chronic diseases such as

• ischemic cardiovascular disease (CVD) 
• colorectal cancer
• stroke 
• type 2 diabetes mellitus 
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 

and others, which are among the most common causes of mortality in the Western world.

At the same time, systemic inflammation is increasingly being recognised as a risk factor for a number of different complications (atherosclerosis, cachexia, anorexia, osteoporosis) which are commonly observed in patients with COPD . Whether systemic inflammation is present in stable COPD and whether it is wholly or partially responsible for these associations is controversial. It is recognised that contracting skeletal muscle may synthesize and release interleukin 6 (IL-6) into the interstitium as well as into the systemic circulation in response to a bout of exercise.

Considering that skeletal muscles is the largest organ in the body, these findings provide a muscular explanation about a level by which exercise mediates some of the health beneficial effects in relation to chronic disorders associated with systemic low-level inflammation.

Objectives

Our line of research is focused on effects of exercise on patients affected with COPD. The purpose is to study how physical exercise is able to:

• Modulate cytokine production and potentially reduce systemic low-level inflammation 
• Reduce the number of exacerbation and length of stay (when hospitalisation is required) 
• Improve activity limitations and participation 
• Improve health-related quality of life

Other aspects studied include testing different training programs concerning duration and intensity in order to define the most cost-efficient program in chronic disorders as COPD or heart failure in order to target public resources.