Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia (Dec 2005)
O efeito da assistência psicológica em um programa de reabilitação pulmonar para pacientes com doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica The effect of psychotherapy provided as part of a pulmonary rehabilitation program for the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Abstract
OBJETIVO: Avaliar o efeito da psicoterapia sobre os níveis de ansiedade, depressão, qualidade de vida e capacidade de exercício em portadores de doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica, submetidos a um programa de reabilitação pulmonar. MÉTODOS: Ensaio clínico prospectivo, controlado e cego realizado com 49 portadores de doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica randomizados em três grupos: programa de reabilitação pulmonar completo (grupo 1), sem exercícios físicos (grupo 2) e sem psicoterapia (grupo 3). Foram utilizados para avaliação: inventários de ansiedade e de depressão de Beck, questionário respiratório de Saint George e o produto da distância caminhada pelo peso. RESULTADOS: Os grupos 1 e 2 demonstraram melhora absoluta estatisticamente significativa na capacidade de realizar exercícios (p = 0,007, p = 0,008 e p = 0,06, respectivamente). Os grupos 1 e 2 demonstraram redução significativa dos níveis de ansiedade e depressão, e melhora no índice de qualidade de vida: grupo 1 - p = 0,0000, p OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of psychotherapy on levels of anxiety and depression, as well as on quality of life and exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease enrolled in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. METHODS: A randomized, controlled, blind clinical trial was conducted involving 49 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Patients were randomized into three groups: those submitted to the complete pulmonary rehabilitation program, which included psychotherapy and an exercise regimen (group 1); those submitted to the program minus physical exercise (group 2); and those submitted to the program minus psychotherapy (group 3). The three groups underwent a 12-week treatment program. All patients were evaluated at baseline and at completion of the pulmonary rehabilitation program through four instruments: The Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire were applied. The distance walked-weight product was also calculated. RESULTS: Statistically significant absolute improvements in exercise capacity were found for groups 1 and 2, although not for group 3 (p = 0.007, p = 0.008 and p = 0.06, respectively). In groups 1 and 2, levels of anxiety and depressions were also significantly reduced (group 1: p = 0.0000 and p < 0.0003; group 2: p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0014), and quality of life was significantly improved (p = 0.0007 and p = 0.002, respectively). Anxiety levels were also reduced in group 3 (p = 0.03), although levels of depression were not, and quality of life was unaffected. CONCLUSION: Psychotherapy sessions provided as part of a pulmonary rehabilitation program assist patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in coping with disease-related limitations by reducing behavioral symptoms, especially depression, thereby influencing exercise capacity and health-related quality of life.
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