title: The influence of clinical course after lung transplantation on rehabilitation success.
abstract: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a cornerstone of treatment following lung transplantation (LTx). The aim of this study was to observe the influence of a prolonged postsurgical clinical course on success of a 3-week inpatient PR. LTx recipients were divided according to their clinical course defined by their individual length of stay (LOS) in the transplant center (cohort 1: LOS >; cohort 2: ≤42 days). Peak work rate (PWR), maximum oxygen uptake (VO(2max) ), 6-min walk distance (6-MWD), vital capacity (VC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), physical activity of daily life (ADL), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measured using Short Form 36 questionnaire (SF36) were assessed at beginning and completion of PR. A total of 138 patients were included (LOS >42 days: 30; LOS ≤42 days: 108). At completion, physical functioning (VC, FEV1, PWR, VO(2max) , 6-MWD, ADL), and HRQoL (all SF36 domains) improved in each cohort (P < 0.05). No differences were found in between both cohorts in VC, FEV1, and ADL (n.s.), but in PWR, 6-MWD, and the SF36 domain 'physical functioning' (P < 0.05). A 3-week inpatient PR improves physical functioning despite prolonged hospitalization. HRQoL is close to normal. (ClinicalTrials.gov. identifier: NCT00759538).
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany. dierich.martin@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dierich
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tecklenburg
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fuehner
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tegtbur
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Welte
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haverich
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Warnecke
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012138:Respiratory Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome