Experience with pulmonary rehabilitation program in a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia.
OBJECTIVE
To present the experience with the first pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program in Saudi Arabia.


METHODS
The prospectively collected data of patients referred to PR program in Saudi Arabia over 30 months starting on July 2004, were reviewed. A standard outpatient PR was offered to those patients with chronic lung diseases. Those patients attended to were classified as adherent or non adherent. There data were analyzed, as well as, the reasons for non-adherence.


RESULTS
Out of 121 patients referred to the PR center during the study period, 89 (73.6%) attended PR program and 32 (26.4%) did not attend their initial appointment. Among 89 patients who attended the PR program, 51 (57.3%) were adherent, while 38 (42.7%) attended but were non-adherent. The demographic data and the basic physiological parameters of both groups were not significantly different. Reasons for non-adherence were: difficulties in transportation (34.2%), admission to the hospital (23.7%), and no specific reason (42.1%). Upon completion of the PR, the exercise parameters in the adherent group showed significant improvement in the 6 minutes walk distance, and the distance and time spent in the treadmill, arm ergometer, and bicycle.


CONCLUSIONS
Implementing a PR program in a tertiary care centre in Saudi Arabia was feasible and led to marked improvement in exercise performance and overall physical fitness.
Al-Moamary
Mohamed S
MS
College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University, Riyadh 11671, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. almoamary@yahoo.com
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015444:Exercise; D005080:Exercise Test; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D016138:Walking