The Gains Related to Pulmonary Rehabilitation will Continue in the First Month Following Rehabilitation or not?

Abstract

INTRODUCTION[|]Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) admitted to the pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program may lose their post-PR gains over time. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the gains after PR continued in the first month following PR. [¤]METHODS[|]Patients with COPD who completed the PR program were evaluated retrospectively. The incremental shuttle walking test (ISWT) was used to measure the exercise capacity. In PR, patients were trained in strengthening exercises, cycling, walking band, and respiratory exercises in the presence of physiotherapist 2 days a week for a total of 8 weeks. After PR, patients were asked to record their exercise status each day into an exercise log. [¤]RESULTS[|]A total of 35 patients with COPD (mean age 64+-8 years) participated in the study. There was a significant increase in the exercise capacity at the ISWT before and after PR (0.001) and the first month after the PR (p=0.001). In the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire, a significant improvement was observed before and after PR and at the first-month follow-up (p<0.05). [¤]DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION[|] An increased exercise capacity and the quality of life provided by PR in COPD patients continue in the early post-PR period, when patients continue to exert with behavioral changes in their daily lives.[¤]

Keywords

• copd
• exercise capacity; pulmonary rehabilitation; quality of life.