Exercise Capacity Predicts COPD Exacer

[Blossom/Jackie W.]

Exercise capacity predicts COPD exacerbations after pulmonary rehabilitation.....

I thought you might this of interest.
www.az-air.com/news/news_read.asp?id=5117&cat=1

[Joyce7]

This is sort of discouraging. It seems that there are pros and cons to plumonary rehab, but I wonder if the exacerbations would not have occurred anyway and the outcome the same or worse. I sure don't know. This is surprising. Joyce

[Blossom/Jackie W.]

It kinda threw me for a loop too Joyce. But; like e'thing with studies etc it's what "info" you're seeking or "how" you interpret. Personally I find it hard to believe UNLESS folks are going back to a sedentary lifestyle as in just doing the exercises they "need" (their perception of) to do and nothing more. I also feel that one's mental outlook contributes greatly.

[larrynz]

Nothing there that we didn't know already, the more advanced the COPD the less exercise you can do and the more likely you are to have a hospital visit.
I took a study for them to find that out?

[cocojax]

I think the chances of getting an infection are greater because you are around people, where I took my rehab was in the basement of the walk-in clinic and medical centre, so you are around sickness and germs...

[maryaz]

Beware people, I have my sarcastic button on. I have a problem with these limited Pulmonary Rehab studies. One paragraph states 53 people studied. I know in the States they just won't give in so we can get more rehabs. I am not familiar with Canada's issues with it.

"They studied 53 patients with moderate-to-severe COPD who had completed pulmonary rehabilitation, determining how....."

Pulmonary rehab and education if continued at home can really help with COPD. I won't be convinced otherwise. October 1st will be 5 years that I have attended rehab and watched people come and go. I just don't think this is enough people to watch. I would want to know every detail if they were convinced it was a fair study. Don't think so.

"Carr et al comment that pulmonary rehabilitation improves functional capacity in COPD, although the effect wanes over time. It is possible, however, that patients who have undergone pulmonary rehabilitation may have fewer and less severe exacerbations than those who have not. But this remains to be tested."

I must have read this wrong because I thought the above paragraph is what they were testing. If you attend rehab, you are going to be less apt to have excerbations and go to the hospital.

Have a nice day everyone.