Chest
Volume 57, Issue 2, February 1970, Pages 116-121
Journal home page for Chest

Clinical Investigations
Exercise Training: Therapy for Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

https://doi.org/10.1378/chest.57.2.116Get rights and content

Eleven patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease completed an 18-week program of exercise training with subjective and objective improvement. Increased activities of daily living were noted by these patients and substantiated by analysis of exercise diaries. Resting and exercise heart rate decreased, and maximum tolerated work load increased significantly in all patients. Alterations of physiologic measurements produced by ventilation/perfusion abnormalities or infection invalidated VEO2 as a gauge of successful training; these factors did not limit successful training.

Section snippets

METHODS

Twelve patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were selected from a larger group as candidates for exercise training after screening with history, including the MRC respiratory disease questionnaire,5 physical examination, and pulmonary function tests. Prerequisites for inclusion in the program were symptomatic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with dyspnea while walking at an ordinary pace on level ground or on washing or dressing, and motivation to lead a more active life.

RESULTS

Eleven of the 12 patients completed the program and claimed they could “do more” with less shortness of breath. Patient 2 (Table 1) had recurrent episodes of bronchopneumonia and discontinued exercise after the initial studies. Analysis of diaries for patients completing the program showed that all had increased their activity of daily living. Diary analysis for patient 1 is shown in Figure 1. The other patients had similar records.

Patients completing the program had a significant decrease in

DISCUSSION

Emphysema accounts for 7 percent of disability pensions, and together with other bronchopulmonary disorders, accounts for 1.6 percent of annual deaths.1, 2 Bronchopulmonary disorders are numerous and precise diagnosis must be established for proper therapy.

Emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and bronchial asthma are different pathophysiologic processes which often coexist. Emphysema is an anatomic alteration of the lung characterized by an abnormal enlargement of air spaces distal to the terminal

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I wish to thank Paul Hurst, Meredith Kusch, and Charles McClave, II for technical assistance and Patricia Burke for preparation of the manuscript.

References (23)

  • R.E. Donevan et al.

    Influence of age on pulmonary diffusing capacity

    J. Appl. Physiol

    (1959)
  • Cited by (36)

    • The cost/benefits of outpatient-based pulmonary rehabilitation

      1997, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
    View all citing articles on Scopus

    Studies were supported by the John A. Hartford Foundation and USPHS Grant No. 5-S01-FR-05489 and USPHS No. 5M01-RR-31-09.

    View full text