Patients recovering from exacerbations of COPD with and without hospitalization need: could ICF score be an additional pulmonary rehabilitation outcome?

Abstract

Objective: To compare disability changes measured with the Respiratory ICF Maugeri core set on COPD patients, recovering from acute exacerbation with and without hospitalization, submitted to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Materials and methods: All COPD inpatients admitted for rehabilitation in 9 Respiratory Units (January–August 2019) were considered eligible. 2066 patients were included (540 discharged from an acute Hospital = Hospital group and 1526 coming from their home = Home group). Healthcare professionals filled, in a digitalized chart, the Respiratory ICF Maugeri core set (26 items), assessing ICF categories at admission and discharge. Results: The baseline distribution of the more severe ICF qualifiers was higher in the Hospital group (p