Study design (year) | Intervention | Patients | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
Retrospective analysis (2015)39 | 3-wk pulmonary rehabilitation program | n = 108 -Mean age 71 yr -Mean FEV1 76% of predicted | Significant improvement in exercise capacity; significant improvement in reported dyspnea Predictors of efficacy: male, FEV1/FVC < 70% and > 2 exacerbations/yr |
Randomized single-blind trial (2014)37 | 8 wks of exercise training and review of airway clearance technique v. control | n = 85 -Minimum of 2 exacerbations/yr -Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale score ≥ 1 -Mean FEV1 74% of predicted -Mean age 63–65 yr | Significant improvement in exercise capacity; less reported dyspnea and fatigue; improvement in exercise capacity, reported dyspnea and fatigue was not sustained at follow-up; fewer exacerbations in the subsequent 12 mo with a longer time to first exacerbation |
Randomized controlled pilot study (2012)40 | 8-wk pulmonary rehabilitation program and twice-daily chest physiotherapy v. twice-daily chest physiotherapy | n = 30 -Regularly expectorating sputum -Limited exercise capacity due to bronchiectasis -Already practicing chest physiotherapy ≥ x 4/wk -Mean FEV1 72%–76% of predicted -Mean age 64 yr | Significant improvement in exercise capacity and HRQL with both pulmonary rehabilitation and chest physiotherapy v. chest physiotherapy alone; no improvements in spirometry, respiratory muscle function or inflammatory markers in either group |
Retrospective study (2011)41 | 6- or 8-wk pulmonary rehabilitation program v. patients with COPD in same program | n = 95 -Mean FEV1 66.5% of predicted (24.2) -Mean age 68.6 (9.8) yr | Significant improvement in exercise capacity in both groups; significant improvement in HRQL in both groups |
Randomized controlled trial (2005)42 | 8-wk pulmonary rehabilitation program v. 8-wk pulmonary rehabilitation program and inspiratory muscle training v. control | n = 32 -FEV1 64%, 54% and 69% of predicted respectively per group -Mean age 63.1, 57.3, 62.9 yr respectively per group | Significant improvement in exercise capacity in both intervention groups v. control; improvements sustained only at 3-mo follow-up in the group that also had inspiratory muscle training |
Note: COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, FEV1 = forced expiratory volume in the first second, FVC = forced vital capacity, HRQL = health-related quality of life.