ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore any effect of following an individualized exercise program on the cardio-pulmonary health of elderly persons with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods:A total of 120 elderly COPD patients were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, each of 60. Both groups were given medication and routine rehabilitation treatment for 3 months, but the experimental group also followed an individualized exercise program based on the cardiopulmonary exercise test. Before and after the treatment, Borg scoring was used to assess the subjects′ degree of dyspnea. Forced expiratory volume (FEV 1), forced vital capacity (FVC), maximum oxygen uptake (VO 2max), anaerobic threshold (AT), heart rate (HR) and a heart index (CI) were also recorded. The 6-minute walk test (6 MWD) was administered to evaluate the rehabilitation effect. Results:There were no significant differences in the average Borg scores, cardiopulmonary function indexes or 6MWD distances between the two groups before treatment. After the treatment significant improvement was observed in all of the measurements in both groups, but at that point all of the experimental group′s averages were better than those of the control group.Conclusion:Individualized exercise based on the cardiopulmonary exercise test can alleviate the symptoms of dyspnea in elderly COPD patients, improve their cardiopulmonary functioning and exercise endurance and improve the rehabilitation effect.