2.1 Study design and patients
In this study, a total of 71 patients with COPD admitted to the Adnan
Menderes University outpatient clinics of chest diseases during March
2018–2019 and diagnosed with COPD with reference to the Global
Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD)
guidelines7 were included in the study. The control
group contained 70 individuals aged ≥40 years with normal respiratory
function test results. Subjects with communication problems, postural
orthostatic hypertension, unstable cardiac disease, hearing or visual
impairments, any skeletal or neurological problems that may cause falls,
as well as those on sedatives (such as antidepressants), those operated
from the lower limbs, those with balance and gait impairments, and those
using assistive walking devices were excluded from the study. The study
was approved by the Adnan Menderes University Non-invasive Clinical
Studies Ethics Committee (No: 2018/1297), and the study was conducted in
accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. All
participants provided their informed signed consent forms.