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Effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on fatigue, functional status and health perceptions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized controlled trial

Department of Medicine and Care, Division of Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping and Department of Nursing, Karlstad University, Karlstad, kersti.theander{at}kau.se

Per Jakobsson

Department of Pulmonary Medicine, University Hospital, Linkoping

Nils Jörgensen

Hospital in Karlstad, Karlstad

Mitra Unosson

Department of Medicine and Care, Division of Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linkoping University, Linköping, Sweden

Objective: To test the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on fatigue, functional status and health perceptions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Pulmonary outpatient department.

Subjects: Thirty patients randomly assigned to a rehabilitation (3 men, 9 women, mean age 66 (±2) years) or a control group (10 men, 4 women, mean age 64 (±2) years).

Interventions: The patients in the rehabilitation group participated in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme comprising exercise training twice weekly, for a 12-week period, nutritional and self-care advice, and education about disease and energy conservation strategies.

Main measures: Fatigue, functional limitations due to fatigue, functional performance and satisfaction, six-minute walking distance, hand grip strength and health perception were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks.

Results: At baseline there were no significant differences between the groups, except for gender. The six-minute walking distance was 312.6 (±79.3) m for the rehabilitation group and 360.3 (±84.7) m for the control group. After 12 weeks, the rehabilitation group improved their walking distance by 40.6 (±27.2) m (P<0.05). The rehabilitation group improved in performance (from 4.8 (±2.0) to 6.0 (±1.5) scores, P<0.01) and satisfaction (from 4.6 (±2.2) to 6.0 (±2.1) scores, P<0.001) with regard to own selected daily activities. No statistically significant differences were seen between the changes within the rehabilitation group and changes within the control group at the 12-week follow-up.

Conclusions: Although the pulmonary rehabilitation programme had an immediate effect, it was not sustained.

Clinical Rehabilitation, Vol. 23, No. 2, 125-136 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0269215508096174


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