title: Effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on exercise capacity in patients with COPD: a number needed to treat study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is recognized as an evidence-based treatment in improving dyspnea and quality of life in patients with COPD. We evaluated the number needed to treat (NNT) to achieve an increase in physical capacity, as defined by a significant improvement in the six-minute walk test (6MWT) in patients with COPD undergoing PR.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study enrolled 284 patients aged 41 to 86 years (mean age 69.4 years) divided into two groups: a study group (222 patients) undergoing a PR program, and a control group (62 patients) treated only with drugs. The study group included patients with COPD divided in four subgroups according to GOLD stages.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the study group, 142 out of 222 patients (64%) had an increase of at least 54 m in the 6MWT following PR versus 8 out of 62 patients (13%) in the control group after the same time interval. The NNT in the overall study group was 2; the same NNT was obtained in GOLD stages 2, 3, and 4, but was 8 in stage 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PR is highly effective in improving the exercise capacity of patients with COPD, as demonstrated by a valuable NNT, with better results in patients with a more severe disease.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary rehabilitation, Istituti Clinici di Perfezionamento, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Gian Galeazzo
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Riario-Sforza
authors.forename: Cristoforo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Incorvaia
authors.forename: Fulvia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Paterniti
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pessina
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caligiuri
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pravettoni
authors.forename: Fabiano
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Marco
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Centanni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001945:Breathing Exercises; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018401:Sample Size; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking