Are patients with COPD more active after pulmonary rehabilitation?
BACKGROUND
Despite a variety of benefits brought by pulmonary rehabilitation to patients with COPD, it is unclear whether these patients are more active during daily life after the program.


METHODS
Physical activities in daily life (activity monitoring), pulmonary function (spirometry), exercise capacity (incremental cycle-ergometer testing and 6-min walk distance testing), muscle force (quadriceps and handgrip force, and inspiratory and expiratory maximal pressures), quality of life (chronic respiratory disease questionnaire), and functional status (pulmonary functional status and dyspnea questionnaire-modified version) were assessed at baseline, after 3 months of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program, and at the end of a 6-month multidisciplinary rehabilitation program in 29 patients (mean [+/- SD] age, 67 +/- 8 years; FEV(1), 46 +/- 16% predicted).


RESULTS
Exercise capacity, muscle force, quality of life, and functional status improved significantly after 3 months of pulmonary rehabilitation (all p < 0.05), with further improvements in muscle force, functional status, and quality of life at 6 months. Movement intensity during walking improved significantly after 3 months (p = 0.046) with further improvements after 6 months (p = 0.0002). Walking time in daily life did not improve significantly at 3 months (mean improvement, 7 +/- 35%; p = 0.21), but only after 6 months (mean improvement, 20 +/- 36%; p = 0.008). No significant changes occurred in other activities or in the pattern of the time spent walking in daily life. Changes in dyspnea after the program were significantly related to changes in walking time in daily life (r = 0.43; p = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
If one aims at changing physical activity habits in the daily life of COPD patients, the contribution of long-lasting programs might be important.
Pitta
Fábio
F
Respiratory Rehabilitation and Respiratory Division, University Hospitals, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Troosters
Thierry
T
Respiratory Rehabilitation and Respiratory Division, University Hospitals, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Probst
Vanessa S
VS
Respiratory Rehabilitation and Respiratory Division, University Hospitals, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Langer
Daniel
D
Respiratory Rehabilitation and Respiratory Division, University Hospitals, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Decramer
Marc
M
Respiratory Rehabilitation and Respiratory Division, University Hospitals, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Gosselink
Rik
R
Respiratory Rehabilitation and Respiratory Division, University Hospitals, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Rik.Gosselink@faber.kuleuven.be.
D000368:Aged; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D011187:Posture; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*