Effect of respiratory rehabilitation for frail older patients with musculoskeletal disorders: a randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

To investigate the effects of respiratory rehabilitation on respiratory function, swallowing in community-dwelling frail older patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Randomized open-label controlled trial. Day-care facility in a rehabilitation hospital in Japan. A total of 63 participants with musculoskeletal disorders (intervention group: n = 31; control group: n = 32) completed the randomized controlled trial. All participants received 12 20-min sessions twice a week for 6 weeks of either typical rehabilitation (control) or typical rehabilitation with respiratory rehabilitation (intervention). Outcome measures were assessed prior to rehabilitation and after 12 sessions. The measures included: respiratory function, swallowing function, exercise tolerance, 6-min walk distance, thorax flexibility, muscle strength (grip and abdominal), activities of daily living, and quality of life. Participants in the intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in respiratory function (95% confidence interval (CI), 3.8-6.6; p = 0.01), swallowing function (95% CI -1.8-0.6; p = 0.01), and quality of life (SF8 Physical Summary Score) (95% CI 2.4-7.1; p = 0.01) compared with those in the control group. Addition of respiratory rehabilitation to a typical rehabilitation programme could improve not only respiratory and swallowing function, but also quality of life, in frail older patients.