Use the Back button in your browser to see the other results of your search or to select another record.

Detailed Search Results

Performance changes for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on long-term oxygen therapy after physiotherapy
Faager G, Larsen FF
Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 2004 Jul;36(4):153-158
clinical trial
4/10 [Eligibility criteria: Yes; Random allocation: Yes; Concealed allocation: No; Baseline comparability: Yes; Blind subjects: No; Blind therapists: No; Blind assessors: No; Adequate follow-up: No; Intention-to-treat analysis: No; Between-group comparisons: Yes; Point estimates and variability: Yes. Note: Eligibility criteria item does not contribute to total score] *This score has been confirmed*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on long-term oxygen therapy would benefit from an early 8-week rehabilitation programme in terms of exercise performance, health-related quality of life and activities of daily living. METHODS: Two weeks after onset of oxygen therapy, 20 patients were randomized to rehabilitation (group A) or not (group B). Exercise performance was measured using a 6-minute walking test. Health-related quality of life was measured with the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire. Activity of daily living ability was measured with the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean 6-minute walking distance increased by 35% (p < 0.01) in group A after rehabilitation. The mean increase in group B was only 8% (ns). Patients in group A reported less overall dyspnoea after rehabilitation (p < 0.05) and, compared with group B, reported better activity of daily living ability (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on long-term oxygen treatment may improve their walking distance, experience less dyspnoea and improve activity of daily living ability with an early rehabilitation programme.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help