Maintaining benefits following pulmonary rehabilitation: a randomised controlled trial.

Spencer LM, Alison JA, McKeough ZJ

The aim of this study was to determine if weekly, supervised, outpatient-based exercise plus unsupervised home exercise following an eight-week pulmonary rehabilitation program would maintain functional exercise capacity and quality of life at twelve months better than standard care of unsupervised home exercise training.  COPD subjects completed an eight-week pulmonary rehabilitation program, were randomised to an Intervention Group (IG) of weekly, supervised, exercise plus home exercise or to a Control Group (CG) of unsupervised home exercise and followed for twelve months. Outcome measurements at baseline (post PR), 3, 6 and 12 months included the six-minute walk test (6MWT) and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ).

Twelve months following pulmonary rehabilitation both weekly, supervised, outpatient-based exercise plus unsupervised home exercise and standard care of unsupervised home exercise successfully maintained six-minute walk distance and quality of life in subjects with moderate COPD.

European Respiratory Journal, July 30 2009, online article ahead of print

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