A study of short-term effect of rehabilitative therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Respiration. 1981;41(1):40-4. doi: 10.1159/000194357.

Abstract

51 male patients with mild degree chronic airway obstruction underwent detailed evaluation of pulmonary function tests, blood gas analysis and exercise tolerance test before and after a short-term therapy. The patients were randomly assigned to medical therapy alone or to medical and rehabilitative therapy. 23 patients treated with medical and rehabilitative therapy showed a significant decrease of respiratory rate and PaCO2 and a significant increase of TV, FEV 1.0, FEV 0.75 x 40, PaO2, SaO2 and exercise tolerance after a month of therapy. 28 patients treated with medical therapy alone showed a significant increase of VC and FEV 0.75 x 40. These data suggest that rehabilitative therapy is a valid adjunct to medical therapy in the short-term treatment of chronic airway obstruction.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Blood Gas Analysis
  • Bronchodilator Agents / therapeutic use
  • Exercise Test
  • Exercise Therapy
  • Expectorants / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Lung Diseases, Obstructive / drug therapy
  • Lung Diseases, Obstructive / physiopathology
  • Lung Diseases, Obstructive / rehabilitation*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Respiratory Function Tests

Substances

  • Bronchodilator Agents
  • Expectorants