Effect of comprehensive rehabilitation on lung function and exercise tolerance in geriatric patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the influence of comprehensive rehabilitation on lung function and exercise tolerance in geriatric patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods Totally 51 patients with COPD were enrolled in this study and divided into two groupstreatment group and control group.For treatment group,each patient was given health education about COPD and the rehabilitation program with medication therapy.The program included aerobic exercises,breathing exercises and upper limb strength training.The control group was given medication therapy only.The treatment group was tested by 6 minute walking distance (6MWT) and both groups had lung function examination before the program started,and were retested 1 year later.Results In the treatment group,lung function including vital capacity (VC),forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1),FEV1 ％,and 6MWT were significantly improved after 1 year of treatment as compared with those indices before treatment [(2.94±0.67)L vs.(2.62±0.65) L,(2.88±0.70)L vs.(2.58±0.65)L,(1.89±0.79)L vs.(1.60±0.67)L,(80.7±28.3)％ vs.(67.7 ±25.9)％,(426.40±71.37)m vs.(326.23±110.80)m,t=2.86,2.27,4.28,4.73,-3.639,respectively,P=0.006,0.027,0.000,0.000,0.001].There was no significant difference in lung function before versus 1 year after intervention in the control group.After 1 year of intervention,the only difference was in FEV1 ％ between the treatment and control groups [(80.7±28.3)％ vs.(71.90± 16.5) ％,t=9.88,P=0.000].Conclusions Comprehensive rehabilitation can improve the lung function and exercise tolerance in geriatric patients with COPD.