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.