Maintainance of exercise capacity in lung transplant candidates undergoing a pulmonary rehabilitation program

Pulmonary transplant (PT) candidates often have to wait in a transplant list for months or years due to shortage of available organs. To assess the maintenance of exercise capacity (EC) while waiting for PT, in patients undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Retrospective study of PT candidates who attended PR and who had records of the 6 minutes walk test distance (6MWD) at the start of PR, at 12 weeks and before transplant or before this study, if still in the waiting list. Twenty seven were included, 17 male, median age 52 years. Median FEV1% before PR - 31,9% and BMI-24,2. Seven patients had pneumoconiosis, 6 COPD, 4 hypersensitivity pneumonitis, 3 bronchiectasis, 3 interstitial disease, 1 lymphangioleiomyomatosis, 1 CF and 1 Sjogren syndrome; 19 patients were transplanted. Median duration of the PR until PT/present analysis was 47 wks. They exercised in stationary bicycle, did limbs strength training and education for bronchial cleaning if adequate. Median 6MWD was 400m before PR, remained unchanged at 12 wks and before PT/analysis. Considering patients with lower initial EC (6MWD In spite of severe lung function impairment, as a whole these patients showed acceptable EC when they were proposed for PR. Those with lower initial EC seemed to benefit more in keeping regular PR while waiting for surgery.