ABSTRACT
AIM: to evaluate the impact of a pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) cycle based on patient education, smoking cessation, physical exercises, and balanced nutrition in addition to standard therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD in patients with this condition. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 70 patients (27 (38.6%) women and 43 (61.4%) men) aged 18 to 60 years (mean age, 48.31±0.64 years) with moderate COPD in remission concurrent with MS were examined. The comprehensive examination of the patients encompassed assessment of clinical, instrumental, and laboratory findings at baseline and 12 months. The patients were randomized into two groups: 1) 35 patients who underwent a RH cycle in addition to standard therapy for COPD; 2) 35 patients who received standard COPD treatment only. RESULTS: Group 1 was found to have significant differences in reducing the number of patients with COPD exacerbations, emergency calls, hospitalizations, severity of clinical symptoms of COPD and their impact on the physical activity and health of the patients, as well as better quality of life and exercise tolerance. CONCLUSION: The therapeutic and preventive measures for patients with COPD and MS should involve educational programs and physical trainings, which are developed, by taking into account of a comorbidity in order to optimize therapeutic and preventive measures and to improve quality of life in this category of patients.
