Objective To investigate the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation on pulmonary function,perception of dyspnea and quality of life in stable COPD patients of different severity. Methods 300 patients with COPD in stable stage were divided into a moderate COPD group (n=120),a severe COPD group (n=100) and a very severe COPD group (n=80). Each group was randomly subdivided into a control group and a treatment group. The treatment groups received pulmonary rehabilitation for 6 months in addition to usual care,and the control groups received usual care without pulmonary rehabilitation. Pulmonary function(FEV₁),6 minute walking distance (6MWD),modified medical research council (mMRC) scale,and acute exacerbation frequency of COPD were compared before and after intervention and among groups. Results After pulmonary rehabilitation for 6 months,the quality of life score and 6MWD were significantly improved in the treatment groups with moderate,severe,very severe COPD,and the increscent of 6MWD was greatest in the severe COPD patients. The mMRC of the patients with very severe COPD improved significantly after pulmonary rehabilitation(P<0.05). Lung function before and after the intervention in three groups all showed no significant difference (P>0.05). The acute exacerbation frequency of the severe COPD patients was significantly reduced by pulmonary rehabilitation (P<0.05), while there was no significant change in the moderate and very severe groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Pulmonary rehabilitation can improve exercise tolerance and quality of life of COPD patients with different severity,reduce acute exacerbation frequency in severe COPD,reduce the dyspnea degree in very severe COPD. Pulmonary rehabilitation is a cost-effective treatment for stable COPD.

Citation： Li Qun, Chen Feng, Wang Xiaoxia, Bao Yong, Chen Min. Effects of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Patients with Stable COPD of Different Severity. Chinese Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2013, 12(2): 130-135. doi: 10.7507/1671-6205.2014033 Copy