Summary of treatment effect estimates, weighted according to outcome
| V′O2peak L·min−1 | Peak work rate W | Cycle endurance min | ISWT m | ESWT | 6MWT m | 12MWT m | |
| Additional exercise training | |||||||
| LL strength | 0.10 (−0.08–0.29); N2=32i versus 28c | 3.64 (−4.95–12.30); N4=54i versus 54c | 2.50 (−20.63–25.64); N6=62i versus 68c | ||||
| UL/LL strength | 0.00 (−0.18–0.16); N1=14i versus 14c | 23.36 (−4.59–51.32)#; N3=54i versus 47c | 4.78 (−122.43–131.99); N1=14i versus 14c | ||||
| Other | 0.10 (−0.31–0.51); N1=12i versus 12c | −2.00 (−44.24–42.24); N1=12i versus 12c | 24.43 (0.13–48.74); N3=57i versus 56c | ||||
| NIV | 0.08 (−0.08–0.24); N3=25i versus 26c | −0.03 (−7.55–7.50); N4=35i versus 36c | 0.61 (−5.23–6.46)#; N3=27i versus 25c | 23.71 (2.65–44.77); N2=27i versus 31c | −17.35 (−48.39–13.70); N2=39i versus 42c | ||
| Oxygen | −0.11 (−0.29–0.07); N3=36i versus 32c | −1.38 (−5.47–2.72); N3=36i versus 32c | 4.70 (−1.96–11.36); N1=14i versus 15c | 233.38 (−245.24–712.0) m#; N2=40i versus 45c | −37.0 (−98.61–24.61); N1=12i versus 12c | ||
| Heliox | 0.02 (−0.04–0.08); N2=26i versus 20c | 4.61 (−0.50–9.72); N2=26i versus 20c | 5.20 (−0.17–10.57); N1=16i versus 15c | ||||
| Prescription medications | |||||||
| Tiotropium | 5.35 (0.89–9.81); N1=47i versus 44c | 7.06 (−15.13–29.26); N2=68i versus 74c | |||||
| Anabolic steroids | 0.10 (−0.02–0.23); N1=33i versus 30c | 4.00 (−5.28–13.28); N1=33i versus 30c | −63.0 (−91.09– −34.91); N1=10i versus 7c | ||||
| Growth hormone | 0.05 (0.01–0.09); N2=18i versus 18c | −11.00 (−26.48–4.48); N1=8i versus 8c | −26.21 (−148.92–96.50)#; N2=22i versus 23c | ||||
| Vitamin D | 0.64 (0.07–1.22); N1=25i versus 24c | 7.00 (−0.28–14.28); N1=25i versus 24c | 29.0 (−7.62–65.62); N1=25i versus 24c | ||||
| Hypertonic saline | −190.0 (−247.34– −132.66); N1=30i versus 27c | ||||||
| Nutritional supplementation | |||||||
| Proteins/fats | −0.03 (−0.12–0.06); N1=38i versus 42c | 9.00 (4.32–13.68); N1=38i versus 42c | 2.86 (−2.00–7.72); N1=10i versus 10c | −19.48 (−42.23–3.27); N2=40i versus 50c | −0.24 (−1.65–1.17) min; N1=15i versus 15c | 8.02 (−31.21–47.26); N2=31i versus 25c | |
| Creatine | 0.14 (−0.02–0.29); N1=14i versus 11c | 4.29 (−9.53–18.11); N1=14i versus 11c | −3.62 (−31.75–24.52); N2=52i versus 53c | −0.11 (−0.46–0.24) units¶; N3=65i versus 63c | |||
| Amino acids | −0.90 (−14.55–12.75); N1=30i versus 30c | 53.00 (24.09–81.91); N1=8i versus 8c | |||||
| Breathing exercises | |||||||
| Inspiratory muscle training | 0.03 (−0.26–0.31) units¶; N6=97i versus 95c | −0.07 (−10.56–10.43); N4=70i versus 69c | 12.72 (−16.21–42.26); N4=55i versus 49c | 211.45 (−56.66–479.56)#; N3=39i versus 41c | |||
| Breathing retraining | 0.20 (−1.58–1.98); N1=17i versus 16c | 8.50 (−4.38–21.38); N1=17i versus 16c | −12.58 (−35.93–10.77); N1=20i versus 20c | ||||
| Other | −0.28 (−0.83–0.27); N1=24i versus 27c | 3.20 (−24.06–30.46); N1=16i versus 25c | 10.26 (−21.85–42.38); N6=78i versus 183c |
Data are presented as mean difference (95% CI), where the mean difference is the change from baseline and a positive effect estimate favours intervention (“add-on” therapies). Data from individual studies may appear more than once across different outcomes (columns). V′O2peak: peak oxygen uptake; ISWT: incremental shuttle walk test; ESWT: endurance shuttle walk test; 6MWT: 6-min walk test; 12MWT: 12-min walk test; LL: lower limb; UL: upper limb; NIV: noninvasive ventilation; Nx: number of participants (x is number of studies); i: intervention group; c: control group. #: random effects model; ¶: standardised mean difference. Bold indicates statistically significant treatment effect.