Low intensity, long-term outpatient rehabilitation in COPD: a randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Most pulmonary rehabilitation programmes currently involve 2-3 sessions per week as recommended by international guidelines. We aimed to investigate whether relevant improvements in physical capabilities and quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could be achieved by a long-term, low intensity, once weekly rehabilitation programme using limited resources.

Methods

100 patients with moderate to severe COPD were randomised to a continuous outpatient interdisciplinary rehabilitation programme or standard care. Physiotherapy-led supervised outpatient training sessions were performed once weekly in addition to educational elements. Outcome measures at baseline and after 26 weeks were 6-minute-walk-test, cycle ergometry, and health-

SUBMITTER: Baumann HJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3502444 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature