[Rehabilitation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Effect of a 7-week programme after 12 months].
BACKGROUND
Pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD improves exercise tolerance and health status, but these effects have been shown to decline after stopping the training programme. This study has examined the long-term effect on exercise tolerance and health status of a 7-week rehabilitation programme combined with extensive training at home.


METHODS
209 consecutive COPD patients who had completed a 7-week pulmonary rehabilitation programme were assessed with the endurance shuttle walk test (ESWT) and the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) at baseline and at 7, 20, 33 and 59 weeks.


RESULTS
77 (36.8%) of the patients dropped out during the study period. Among the 132 patients who competed the 59-week evaluation, the initial improvement in the ESWT time was 100% (p < 0.001) and 3.8 units (p < 0.001) in the SGRQ. These effects were maintained at the 59-week evaluation (ESWT 63% above baseline; p = 0.02 and improved SGRQ 3.3 units compared with baseline; p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
A relatively simple and inexpensive 7-week rehabilitation programme with extensive training at home was sufficient to maintain the long-term effect on exercise tolerance and health status.
Ringbaek
Thomas J
TJ
Hjerte-lungemedicinsk Afdeling, Hvidovre Hospital, DK-2650 Hvidovre. ringbaek@dadlnet.dk.
Brøndum
Eva
E
Bolton
Sophie
S
Martinez
Gerd
G
Lange
Peter
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012119:Respiration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking