Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term benefits of a pulmonary rehabilitation program in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The study was a randomized controlled trial that included 54 mild and moderate COPD patients. Patients were assigned to either an 8-week-long pulmonary rehabilitation program, which consisted of exercise plus education (rehabilitation group), or were controls. All the patients were evaluated at baseline at the completion of the 8th week of the program and one month after the completion of the pulmonary rehabilitation program using five instruments: arterial blood gas analysis, postbronchodilator pulmonary function test, 6-minute walk test (6MWT), Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and the dyspnea visual analog scale (VAS) There were no statistically significant differences in the pulmonary functions and pulmonary gas analysis between baseline, discharge (8th week), and the 12th-week visit in both groups (p > 0.05). Rehabilitation resulted in significant improvements in both the VAS and the 6MWT at the 8th week, but by the 12th week all of these improvements had deteriorated. All of the SGRQ domains improved both at the 8th and the 12th week, with a significant difference between the groups (p < 0.05). We conclude that rehabilitation resulted in improvements in exercise capacity, health status, and dyspnea. All of these benefits, however, tend to deteriorate in the first month after rehabilitation. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that all patients with COPD be kept motivated in order to continue with rehabilitation and maintain the benefits gained.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hamilton N, Killian KJ, Summers E, Jones NL (1995) Muscle strength, symptom intensity and exercise capacity in patients with cardiorespiratory disorders. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 152:2021–2031
Gosselink R, Troosters T, Decramer M (1996) Peripheral muscle weakness contributes to exercise limitation in COPD. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 153:976–980
Griffiths TL, Burr ML, Campbell IA, Lewis-Jenkins V, Mullins J, Shiels K, Turner-Lawlor PJ, Payne N, Newcombe RG, Ionescu AA, Thomas J, Turnbridge J (2000) Results at 1 year after multidisciplinary rehabilitation: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet 355:362–368
Pauwels RA, Buist AS, Ma P, Jenkins CR, Hurd SS, GOLD Scientific Committee (2001) Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and World Health Organization Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD): executive summary [review]. Respir Care 46(8):798–825
Puente-Maestu L, Luisa Sanz M, Sanz P, de Ona RJ, Arnedillo A, Casaburi R (2003) Long-term effects of a maintenance program after supervised self-monitored training programs in patients with COPD. Lung 181(2):67–78
American Thoracic Society (2002) ATS Statement: guidelines for the six minute walk test. ATS Committee on proficiency standards for clinical pulmonary function laboratories. Am Respir Crit Care Med 166(1):111–117
Gift AG (1989) Visual analogue scales:measurements of subjective phenomena. Nurs Res 38:286–288
Jones PW, Quirk FH, Baveystock CM (1991) The St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire. Respir Med 85 Supp1 B:25–31
American College of Chest Physicians/American Association of Cardiovascular, Pulmonary Rehabilitation (ACCP/AACVPR) (1997) Pulmonary rehabilitation. Joint ACCP/AACVPR evidence based guidelines. Chest 112:1363–1396
Guell R, Casan P, Belda J, Sangenis M, Morante F, Guyatt GH, Sanchis J (2000) Long-term effects of outpatient rehabilitation of COPD. Chest 117:976–983
Couser JI, Guthmann R, Hamadeh MA, Kane CS (1995) Pulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise capacity in older elderly patients with COPD. Chest 107:700–734
Casaburi R (1993) Exercise training in chronic obstructive lung disease. In: Casaburi R, Petty TL (eds) Principles and practice of pulmonary rehabilitation. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, pp 204–224
Niederman MS, Clemente PH, Fein AM, Feinsilver SH, Robinson DA, Ilowite JS, Bernstein MG (1991) Benefits of a multidisciplinary pulmonary rehabilitation program: improvements are independent of lung function. Chest 99:798–804
Vogiatzis I, Williamson AF, Miles J, Taylor IK (1991) Physiological response to moderate exercise workloads in a pulmonary rehabilitation program in patients with varying degrees of airflow obstruction. Chest 116:1200–1207
Wijkstra PJ, TenVergert EM, van Altena R, Otten V, Kraan J, Postma DS, Koeter GH (1995) Long term benefits of rehabilitation at home on quality of life and exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Thorax 50:824–828
Ries AL, Kaplan RM, Limberg TM, Prewitt LM (1995) Effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on physiologic and psychosocial outcomes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Ann Intern Med 122:823–832
Wedzicka JA (1998) Randomized controlled trial of pulmonary rehabilitation in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, stratified with MRC dyspnea scale. Eur Respir J 12:363–369
Foglio K, Bianchi L, Ambrosino N (2001) Is it really useful to repeat outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation programs in patients with a chronic airway obstruction? A 2 year controlled study. Chest 119(6):1696–1705
Brooks D, Krip B, Mangovski-Alzamora S, Goldstein RS (2002) The effect of postrehabilitation programmes among individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Eur Respir J 20(1):20–29
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Karapolat, H., Atasever, A., Atamaz, F. et al. Do the Benefits Gained Using a Short-Term Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program Remain in COPD Patients After Participation?. Lung 185, 221–225 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-007-9011-4
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-007-9011-4