An effect of the outpatient rehabilitation programme in patients with chronic respiratory diseases

Abstract

Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation is a common type of complex treatment especially in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). By contrast, only few rehabilitation centres in the Czech Republic provide pulmonary rehabilitation programme to non-COPD patients. Objective: To find out if the rehabilitation programme has a similar effect in patient with obstructive and restrictive ventilatory disorder. Methods: Twenty-eight patients with either COPD or pulmonary sarcoidosis (PS) have been enrolled for the 6-week rehabilitation programme. Lung functions, maximal inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory (MEP) mouth pressures, chest expansion at the level of the 4th intercostal space (IC) and at the level of the xiphoid process (XP), sixminute walk test, health-related quality of life using the St. George's Questionnaire (SGRQ) and fatigue occurrence using the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue scale (MAF) were tested at the baseline and after 6 weeks. The rehabilitation programme consisted of exercise training, ventilatory muscle training, respiratory physiotherapy and soft-tissue techniques. Results: Patients with COPD improved significantly (p