Characteristics of the included studies
| Study, year (country) | Study design | n (M/F) | Age years | BMI kg·m−2 | FEV1 % predicted | Outcome |
| Butcher et al., 2004 (Canada) | Cross-sectional | COPD (NO): 15 (7/8) COPD (WO): 15 (5/10) Control: 21 (3/18) | COPD (NO): 72±2 COPD (WO): 69±2 Control: 68±1 | NR | COPD (NO): 45±3 COPD (WO): 29±3 Control: 105±3 | TUG |
| Hernandes et al., 2009 (Brazil) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 40 (18/22) Control: 30 (14/6) | COPD: 66±8 Control: 64±7 | COPD: 27±6 Control: 28±4 | COPD: 46±16 Control: 111±20 | 6MWT |
| Ozalevli et al., 2010 (Turkey) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 36 (25/11) Control: 20 (13/7) | COPD: 70.3±3 Control: 68.5±7.3 | COPD: 24.6±5 Control: 27.6±2.6 | COPD: 43.5±6 Control: 98.3±11.1 | BBS, 6MWT |
| Corrêa et al., 2011 (Brazil) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 10 (3/7) Control: 10 (3/7) | COPD: 64±10 Control: 63±7 | COPD: 23±5 Control: 24±3 | COPD: 38±11 Control: 95±18 | 6MWT |
| Roig et al., 2011 (Canada) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 21 (NR/NR) Control: 21 (NR/NR) | COPD: 71.2±8.1 Control: 67.4±7.6 | COPD: 25.6±4.2 Control: 25.3±4 | COPD: 47.2±12.9 Control: 98.1±11.9 | 6MWT |
| Ilgin et al., 2011 (Turkey) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 511 (NR/NR) Control: 113 (NR/NR) | GOLD I: 63.7±10.6 GOLD II: 67.1±9.5 GOLD III 66.0±9.8 GOLD IV 62.7±8.6 Control: 61.7±9.9 | GOLD I: 25.7±3.8 GOLD II: 25.6±3.9 GOLD III: 25.4±4.6 GOLD IV 25.3±5.0 Control: 27.2±4.2 | GOLD I: 90.0±8.4 GOLD II: 64.0±8.3 GOLD III 39.5±5.8 GOLD IV: 25.0±3.2 Control: 99.3±16.9 | 6MWT |
| Beauchamp et al., 2012 (Canada) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 37 (17/20) Control: 20 (8/12) | COPD: 71±7 Control: 67±9 | COPD: 28.9±10.5 Control: 24.8±3.4 | COPD: 39.4±16.3 Control: 96.9±15.9 | BESTest, BBS, ABC |
| Annegarn et al., 2012 (Netherlands) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 79 (47/32) Control: 24 (15/9) | COPD: 64.3±8.9 Control: 63.7±5.9 | COPD: 24.7±4.5 Control: 25.8±3.8 | COPD: 53.5±18.7 Control: 124.9±21.0 | 6MWT |
| Chien et al., 2013 (China) | Cross-sectional | Moderate COPD: 40 (37/7) Severe COPD: 48 (30/10) Control: 14 (12/2) | COPD: moderate/severe 67±1/69±1 Control: 62±2 | Moderate COPD: 24.3±0.6 Severe COPD: 22.2±0.6 Control: 23±1 | Moderate COPD: 67±1 Severe COPD: 35±1 Control: 92±2 | 6MWT |
| Amorin et al., 2014 (Brazil) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 40 (22/18) Control: 20 (19/21) | COPD: 64±7 Control: 66±10 | COPD: 25±3 Control: 25±3 | COPD: 47±15 Control: 109±13 | 6MWT |
| Mkacher et al., 2014 (Tunisia) | Prospective | COPD: 16 (16/0) Control: 18 (18/0) | COPD: 56.22±4.12 Control 58.06±2.91 | COPD: 26.47±1.78 Control 26.16±1.59 | COPD: 49.75±2.56 Control 90.27±5.76 | TUG, SLS, BBS |
| Crisan et al., 2015 (Romania) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 29 (NR/NR) Control: 17 (NR/NR) | COPD: 62.2±5.0 Control: 61.4±4.0 | COPD: 25.4±3.6 Control: 25.3±3.9 | COPD: 29±7 Control: 95±18 | BBS, SLS, TUG |
| Oliveira et al., 2015 (Australia) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 40 (19/21) Control: 25 (12/13) | COPD: 71±8 Control: 69±8 | COPD: 25.0±4.8 Control: 24.6±3.4 | COPD: 45.1±16.2 Control: 102.1±12.8 | FOF, FES-I, BBS, 6MWT |
| Tudorache et al., 2015 (Rumania) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 22 (NR/NR) Control: 20 (NR/NR) | COPD: 63±5 Control: 63±4 | COPD: 24.2±5.7 Control: 24.9±3.8 | COPD: 27.5±7 Control:100.5±12 | FES-I, BBS, TUG, SLS, 6MWT |
| Iwakura et al., 2016 (Japan) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 22 (H) Control: 13 (H) | COPD: 71.6±6.9 Control: 71.5±5.6 | COPD: 22.1±2.9 Control: 22.7±2.5 | COPD: 52.8±20.6 Control: 94.7±26.7 | SLS, 6MWT |
| Voica et al., 2016 (Romania) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 27 (NR/NR) Control: 17 (NR/NR) | Emphysematous COPD: 64.1±2.6 Bronchitic COPD: 63.9±1.9 Control: 61.3±4.0 | Emphysematous COPD: 17.6±0.8 Bronchitic COPD: 36.1±3.3 Control: 25.3±3.9 | Emphysematous COPD: 31±2 Bronchitic COPD: 30±4 Control: 95±18 | TUG, SLS, BBS, 6MWT |
| Albarrati et al., 2016 (UK) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 520 (270/250) Control: 150 (76/74) | COPD: 66.1±7.6 Control: 65±7.4 | COPD: 28.0±5.5 Control: 28.1±4.1 | COPD: 58±19 Control: 105±14 | 6MWT, TUG |
| Alhaddad et al., 2016 (UK) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 119 (74/45) Control: 58 (38/20) | COPD: 68±8 Control: 66±9 | COPD: 27.3±6 Control: 28.6±5.2 | COPD: 59±18 Control: 100±15 | TUG, 6MWT |
| Decastro et al., 2016 (Brazil) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 47 (27/20) Control: 25 (15/10) | COPD: 68±5 Control: 66±8 | COPD: 26±5 Control: 28±5 | COPD: 45±15 Control: 87±17 | TUG, 6MWT |
| Oliveira et al., 2017 (Australia) | Prospective | COPD: 26 (13/13) Control: 25 (12/13) | COPD: 70±9 Control: 70±8 | COPD: 25±7 Control: 24±3 | COPD: 44±18 Control: 102±12 | BBS |
| Porto et al., 2017 (Brazil) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 93 (61%/39%) Control: 39 (41%/59%) | COPD: 67.3±10.8 Control: 65.1±9.7 | NR | COPD: 50.4±19 Control: 89.2±23.6 | BBS, FES-I |
| Iwakura et al., 2019 (Japan) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 34 (34/0) Control: 16 (16/0) | COPD: 71±8 Control: 72±6 | COPD: 21.8±2.8 Control: 22.8±2.3 | COPD: 57± 28 Control:102±19 | 6MWT |
| Serrão et al., 2020 (Brazil) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 54 (43/10) Control: 20 (17/3) | COPD: 66±8 Control: 65±8 | COPD: 24±4 Control: 25±3 | COPD: 34±9 Control: 101±16 | 6MWT |
| Gore et al., 2021 (USA) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 382 (43.5%/56.5%) Control: 382 (41.5%/58.4%) | COPD: 74.94±6.75 Control: 75.23±6.92 | COPD: 29.94±6.69 Control: 30.39±5.34 | NR | Tandem posture |
| Jirange et al., 2021 (India) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 42 Control: 45 | COPD: 61.9±4.61 Control: 60.47±6.18 | COPD: 22.22±3.31 Control: 23.50±3.27 | COPD: 37.3±7.99 Control: NR | TUG |
| Ozsoy et al., 2021 (Turkey) | Cross-sectional | COPD: 35 (89.2%/10.8%) Control: 27 (84%/16%) | COPD: 62.13±8.17 Control: 60.60±7.84 | COPD: 27.95±4.72 Control: 29.07±3.25 | COPD: 59.18±15.32 Control: NR | TUG |
| Schons et al., 2021 (Brazil) | Case–control study | COPD: 20 (9/11) Control: 16 (7/9) | COPD: 62.95±8.06 Control: 59.94±6.43 | COPD: 68.80±14.92 Control: 68.06±16.11 | COPD: 39.98±11.69 Control: 97.44±14.45 | 6MWT, SLS, TUG |
Data presented as mean±sd unless stated otherwise. Abbreviations: M: male; F: female; BMI: body mass index; FEV1: forced expiratory volume in 1 s; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; COPD (NO): no supplemental oxygen; COPD (WO): COPD with supplemental oxygen; NR: not reported; TUG: Timed Up and Go; 6 MWT: 6-min walk test; BBS: Berg Balance Scale; GOLD: Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; BESTest: Balance Evaluation Systems Test; ABC: activity-specific balance of confidence scale; SLS: single leg stance; FES-I: Falls Efficacy Scale - International.