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Vol. 43. Issue 11.
Pages 599-604 (January 2007)
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Vol. 43. Issue 11.
Pages 599-604 (January 2007)
Original Articles
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Benefits of a Home-Based Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program for Patients With Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
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Vanessa Regiane Resquetia, Amaia Gorostizab, Juan B. Gladisb, Elena López de Santa Maríab, Pere Casan Claràa, Rosa Güell Rousa,
Corresponding author
vanessaresqueti@hotmail.com

Correspondence: Dra. R. Güell Rous. Área de Rehabilitación-Departamento de Neumología. Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau. Sant Antoni M. Claret, 167. 08025 Barcelona. España
a Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
b Hospital de Cruces, Barakaldo, Vizcaya, Spain
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Objetive

The benefits of a domiciliary program of pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with severe to very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are uncertain. We aimed to assess the short- and medium-term efficacy of such a program in this clinical setting.

Patients and methods

Patients with severe COPD (stages III-IV, classification of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) and incapacitating dyspnea (scores 3-5, Medical Research Council [MRC] scale) were randomized to a control or domiciliary rehabilitation group. The 9-week supervised pulmonary rehabilitation program included educational sessions, respiratory physiotherapy, and muscle training in weekly sessions in the patient's home. We assessed the following variables at baseline, 9 weeks, and 6 months: lung function, exercise tolerance (3-minute walk test), dyspnea (MRC score), and health-related quality of life with the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ).

Results

Thirty-eight patients with a mean (SD) age of 68 (6) years were enrolled. The mean MRC score was 4 (0.8) and mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second was 29% of reference. Twenty-nine patients completed the study (6 months). Distance covered on the walk test increased significantly in the rehabilitation group (P=.001) and the difference was maintained at 6 months. Dyspnea also improved significantly with rehabilitation (P≤.05), but the reduction was not evident at 6 months. Statistically significant improvements in symptoms related to 2 CRQ domains were detected between baseline and 9 weeks: dyspnea (3.1 [0.8] vs 3.6 [0.7]; P=.02) and fatigue (3.7 [0.8] vs 4.2 [0.9]; P=.002). A clinically relevant but not statistically significant change in mastery over disease was detected (from 4.3 to 4.9). All improvements were maintained at 6 months.

Conclusions

Home-based pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with severe to very severe COPD and severe functional incapacity leads to improvements in exercise tolerance and health-related quality of life that are maintained at 6 months.

Key words:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Pulmonary rehabilitation
domiciliary
Health-related quality of life
Exercise tolerance
Objetivo

Los beneficios de la rehabilitación respiratoria domiciliaria (RRD) en pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC) de grado grave-muy grave son controvertidos. Nuestro objetivo ha sido evaluar la eficacia a corto y medio plazo de un programa de RRD en pacientes con EPOC grave.

Pacientes y métodos

Se trata de un estudio prospectivo y aleatorizado en pacientes con EPOC grave (estadios III y IV de la clasificación GOLD) y disnea invalidante —; puntuación de 3 a 5 en la escala del Medical Research Council (MRC)—, distribuidos en grupo control y grupo RRD. El programa de rehabilitación respiratoria fue de 9 semanas y consistía en educación, fisioterapia respiratoria y entrenamiento muscular con supervisión semanal en domicilio. Evaluamos en situación basal, a las 9 semanas y a los 6 meses la función pulmonar, la capacidad de ejercicio (prueba de la marcha de 3 min), la disnea (MRC) y la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud, determinada con el Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ).

Resultados

Participaron en el estudio 38 pacientes, con una edad media ± desviación estándar de 68 ± 6 años (puntuación MRC: 4 ± 0,8; volumen espiratorio forzado en el primer segundo: 29% del valor de referencia), y 29 completaron el seguimiento a los 6 meses. En el grupo RRD se incrementó significativamente la distancia recorrida en la prueba de la marcha de 3 min (p = 0,001), resultado que se mantuvo a los 6 meses. La disnea mejoró significativamente tras la RRD (p ≤ 0,05), pero dicha mejoría desapareció a los 6 meses. Se observó una mejoría clínica y estadísticamente significativa en 2 dominios del CRQ, el de disnea (3,1 ± 0,8 frente a 3,6 ± 0,7; p = 0,02) y el de fatiga (3,7 ± 0,8 frente a 4,2 ± 0,9; p = 0,002), y tan sólo clínica (4,3 frente a 4,9) en el control de la enfermedad, mejorías que se mantuvieron a los 6 meses.

Conclusiones

La RRD en pacientes con EPOC grave-muy grave y alta incapacidad funcional aporta beneficios en la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud y la capacidad de ejercicio, que pueden mantenerse hasta los 6 meses.

Palabras clave:
Enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC)
Rehabilitación respiratoria domiciliaria
Calidad de vida relacionada con la salud
Capacidad del ejercicio
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The preliminary results of this study were first presented at the annual European Respiratory Society Congress, September 2005 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The study was partially funded by the Breathe Network (Red Respira) of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR).

Copyright © 2007. Sociedad Española de Neumología y Cirugía Torácica (SEPAR)
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