Variability in Quality of Life Outcomes Following a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program in Patients With COPD

Purpose: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) improves exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, it is unclear why some patients do not improve quality of life during a training program. Our objective was to evaluate the differences between patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who improve and those who do not improve quality of life during a pulmonary rehabilitation program. Methods: Seventy-three patients underwent a PR program. All patients trained at 80% (legs) and 50% (arms) of their maximum load. Incremental and endurance tests, 6-min walk test, and health-related quality of life with the St George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) were measured. We subdivided the groups based on a decrease ≥4 points in the pre- and post-PR SGRQ total score (G1); Results: Exacerbation frequency (P = .004) and SGRQ total scores (P Conclusion: Patients whose quality of life did not improve after comprehensive PR presented a higher number of disease-related exacerbations with comorbidities.