Prior to enrolment in the PR programme, patients will undergo standard baseline assessments, after providing informed consent. These will include a medical examination, demographic details, past medical history, spirometry, an incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT) to determine a predicted maximum oxygen consumption, an endurance shuttle walk test (ESWT) at 85% of predicted maximum oxygen consumption (V02), chronic respiratory questionnaire (CRQ), EuroQol (EQ5D), hospital anxiety and depression score (HADS), serum interleukin(IL)-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP), body mass index (BMI), skinfold thickness and muscle strength.