Performance changes for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on long-term oxygen therapy after physiotherapy.

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% (n.s.). 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.