title: A study of short-term effect of rehabilitative therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: 51 male patients with mild degree chronic airway obstruction underwent detailed evaluation of pulmonary function tests, blood gas analysis and exercise tolerance test before and after a short-term therapy. The patients were randomly assigned to medical therapy alone or to medical and rehabilitative therapy. 23 patients treated with medical and rehabilitative therapy showed a significant decrease of respiratory rate and PaCO2 and a significant increase of TV, FEV 1.0, FEV 0.75 x 40, PaO2, SaO2 and exercise tolerance after a month of therapy. 28 patients treated with medical therapy alone showed a significant increase of VC and FEV 0.75 x 40. These data suggest that rehabilitative therapy is a valid adjunct to medical therapy in the short-term treatment of chronic airway obstruction.
mesh_terms: D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005100:Expectorants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D005100:Expectorants