Effectiveness of Pulmonary Rehabilitation Performed Through Exercise Training for Patients with Stable COPD: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Zdr Varst. 2022 Sep 28;61(4):231-241. doi: 10.2478/sjph-2022-0031. eCollection 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Background: The application of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) improves functional capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at all stages of disease severity. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of PR, performed through exercise training (PR-ET), on functional capacity and HRQoL in patients with stable COPD.

Methods: The meta-analysis was performed by including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving patients with stable COPD who participated in different types of PR-ET in which six-minute walk distance (6MWD) and/ or St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire total scores (SGRQ) were measured. The data search was conducted in December 2020 and January 2021.

Results: The first meta-analysis showed a statistically significant positive effect (MD=31.73m; p<0.00001) of PR-ET on 6MWD. Similarly, the second meta-analysis found a statistically significant favourable effect of pulmonary rehabilitation through exercise training on SGRQ total scores (MD=-8.09; p=0.002).

Conclusions: PR, which includes several different types of exercise training, has a positive effect on the functional capacity and HRQoL of patients with stable COPD. Further studies should be conducted to determine the effects of home-based PR-ET and PR-ET >8 weeks on SGRQ total scores.

Uvod: Pljučna rehabilitacija (PR) bolnikov s kronično obstruktivno pljučno boleznijo (KOPB) omili simptome bolezni in izboljša kakovost življenja. Telesna vadba je kot element pljučne rehabilitacije pomembna za izboljšanje telesne zmogljivosti bolnika, poveča toleranco na napor ter izboljša strukturo in delovanje mišic. Zahtevnost telesne vadbe mora biti prilagojena omejitvam posameznika. Priporoča se izvajanje kombinirane oblike vadbe, ki jo sestavljajo vadba za vzdržljivost, moč in gibljivost. Namen raziskave je s pomočjo metaanalize ovrednotiti učinkovitost pljučne rehabilitacije, ki vključuje element telesne vadbe, na telesno zmogljivost in na z zdravjem povezano kakovost življenja bolnikov s stabilno KOPB.

Metode: Decembra 2020 in januarja 2021 je bilo izvedeno iskanje virov. V raziskavo smo vključili randomizirane kontrolirane študije, ki so: (i) preučevale bolnike s stabilno KOPB, (ii) vključevale pljučno rehabilitacijo s telesno vadbo, (iii) merile telesno zmogljivost s pomočjo 6-minutnega testa hojein/ali (iv) vrednotile z zdravjem povezano kakovost življenja s pomočjo vprašalnika »St. George`s Respiratory Questionnaire«.

Rezultati: Prva metaanaliza (20 randomiziranih kontroliranih študij) je pokazala statistično značilen, pozitiven učinek (MD = 31,73m; p < 0,00001) pljučne rehabilitacije z vključeno telesno vadbo na prehojeno razdaljo. Podobno je druga metaanaliza (9 randomiziranih kontroliranih študij) pokazala statistično značilen, pozitiven učinek (MD = -8,09; p = 0,002) pljučne rehabilitacije z vključeno telesno vadbo na z zdravjem povezano kakovost življenja bolnikov s KOPB.

Razprava in zaključki: Pljučna rehabilitacija, ki vključuje različne oblike telesne vadbe izboljša telesno zmogljivost in z zdravjem povezano kakovost življenja pri bolnikih s stabilno KOPB. V nadaljevanju bi bila smiselna izvedba metaanalize, ki bi vrednotila učinek posameznih komponent telesne vadbe (vrsta, trajanje, pogostost izvajanja, intenzivnost) na telesno zmogljivost bolnikov s KOPB. Smiselna bi bila tudi izvedba metaanalize, ki bi vrednotila učinek pljučne rehabilitacije s telesno vadbo izvedeno v domačem okolju in PR daljše od 8 tednov, na z zdravjem povezano kakovost življenja pri bolnikih s KOPB.

Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disese; exercise training; rehabilitation; systematic reviews/meta-analysis.

Grants and funding

The research did not receive any grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.