Value of 12 week pulmonary rehabilitation program among stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

Abstract

Background
Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a key non-pharmacological intervention for managing stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Assessment of long-term effects of a 12-week PR program on lung function, exercise capacity, dyspnea severity, respiratory muscle function, oxygenation, pulmonary pressures, psychological status, and quality of life is essential to optimize COPD care.


Objective
To evaluate the impact of a 12-week pulmonary rehabilitation program on clinical, functional, and psychological outcomes in stable COPD patients.


Methods
Thirty stable COPD patients, diagnosed according to GOLD 2023 criteria, with moderate to severe disease and mMRC dyspnea scores between 2 and 4, participated in this interventional study. They underwent a 12-week PR regimen, including aerobic, resistance, and breathing retraining exercises, thrice weekly. Baseline and post-program assessments included spirometry, arterial blood gases, diaphragm ultrasound metrics (thickness and excursion), echocardiographic pulmonary arterial pressures, six-minute walk distance (6MWD), mMRC dyspnea scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and VQ11 quality of life questionnaire.


Results

Post-PR, patients showed significant improvements: FEV₁ increased by 11.1%, FVC by 8.7%, and FEV₁/FVC ratio by 10.7% (
p
 < 0.001). Oxygen saturation improved by 5.79% (
p
 < 0.001). Dyspnea scores decreased by 40.7%, and 6MWD increased by 10.1% (both
p
 < 0.001). Diaphragm thickness and excursion improved by 28.1% and 21.5%, respectively. Pulmonary arterial pressures (mPAP) decreased significantly. Psychological well-being (HADS) and quality of life (VQ11) scores improved by 23.2% and 36.7%, respectively.



Conclusion
A 12-week pulmonary rehabilitation program could improve lung function, exercise capacity, respiratory muscle performance, oxygenation, pulmonary pressure in a valuable manner and also could improves psychological health and quality of life in stable COPD patients. These findings support PR as an integral component of comprehensive COPD management.