The efficacy and applicability of a pulmonary rehabilitation programme for patients with COPD in a secondary-care community hospital.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Pulmonary rehabilitation is known to have beneficial effects in COPD patients. This study aimed to assess the applicability and efficacy of a pulmonary rehabilitation programme in a community hospital lacking specialist pulmonary rehabilitation services.

METHODS

This randomized, controlled, prospective study included a total of 78 patients. Questionnaires were used to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics, respiratory function tests, the Modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale, 6MWD, the Short Form-36 (SF-36) quality of life scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). The experimental group underwent a pulmonary rehabilitation programme while the control group did not participate. The first, second and third month measurements for all parameters were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

No significant differences in pulmonary function tests or dyspnoea scale (P > 0.05) were observed between the two groups. Significant differences were observed in the 6MWD measurements at the third month (P < 0.05), as well as in the SF-36 quality of life scale, SGRQ and HADS measurements at the second and third months (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Short-term pulmonary rehabilitation had a positive impact on exercise capacity and quality of life of patients with COPD, irrespective of FEV(1). This study demonstrated the efficacy of a pulmonary rehabilitation programme in a secondary care hospital not staffed by a specialist pulmonary rehabilitation group.