While we did not address how pulmonary obstruction might explain locomotor muscle oxidative capacity impairment, we speculate that pulmonary and systemic inflammation in COPD may influence muscle mitochondrial biogenic and angiogenic pathways, for example, PGC‐1α and VEGF expression, and mediate muscle mitochondrial loss, as has been demonstrated in smoke exposed mice [47]. This evidence concerns the gene VEGFA and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.