Performance changes for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on long-term oxygen therapy after physiotherapy.

Abstract

To investigate whether patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on long-term oxygen therapy would benefit from an early 8-week rehabilitation programme in terms of exercise performance, health-related quality of life and activities of daily living. Two weeks after onset of oxygen therapy, 20 patients were randomized to rehabilitation (group A) or not (group B). Exercise performance was measured using a 6-minute walking test. Health-related quality of life was measured with the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire. Activity of daily living ability was measured with the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire. The mean 6-minute walking distance increased by 35% (p < 0.01) in group A after rehabilitation. The mean increase in group B was only 8% (n.s.). Patients in group A reported less overall dyspnoea after rehabilitation (p < 0.05) and, compared with group B, reported better activity of daily living ability (p < 0.01). Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on long-term oxygen treatment may improve their walking distance, experience less dyspnoea and improve activity of daily living ability with an early rehabilitation programme.