A little PT goes a long way in hospitalized COPD patients

MADRID – Adding physical therapy to standard care improved self-reported quality of life in patients hospitalized with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a randomized, controlled trial.

Significant gains in health-related quality of life were seen at discharge on all of the EUROQol-5D questionnaire subscales including mobility (mean 2.00 vs. 1.29; P less than .001), self-care (mean 1.76 vs. 1.19; P = .004), usual activities (mean 2.14 vs. 1.43; P = .004), pain/discomfort (mean 1.71 vs. 1.24; P = .014), and anxiety/depression (mean 2.00 vs. 1.38; P less than .001).

Overall health, measured with the EUROQol-5D visual analog scale, also improved significantly from an average score of 57.0 to 74.4 (P = .006), Irene Torres-Sánchez, PT, reported at the world congress of the American College of Chest Physicians.

What stands out is that the average hospital length of stay was just 8.8 days.

The physical therapy protocol included 45 minutes of daily, individualized resistance training targeting the lower limbs and controlled breathing exercises including relaxation exercises, pursed lips breathing, and active expiration, explained Ms. Torres-Sánchez of University of Granada, Spain.

No significant differences were found between the 30 intervention patients and 30 controls at baseline in Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire values (63.95 vs. 63.00). Their average age was 71 years and body mass index was 27.6 kg/m².

Improvements were seen in the control group, but they were statistically significant, using a P value of less than .05, only for anxiety/depression (mean 1.96 vs. 1.46; P less than .001). Overall health did not improve significantly from baseline (55.42 vs. 58.96; P = .396), according to the poster presentation (Chest 2014;145:372A [doi:10.1378/chest.1823625]).

In two other posters reported during the same session, the investigators showed that adults hospitalized with acute COPD exacerbation walked only 255 steps per day on average (Chest 2014;145:385A [doi:10.1378/chest.1822986]).

Those who took part in the PT program, however, had improved muscle strength and steadiness and muscle endurance, although it was not uniformly significant for both legs (Chest 2014;145:369A [doi:10.1378/chest.1823630]).

The investigators reported no financial disclosures.

[email protected]

MADRID – Adding physical therapy to standard care improved self-reported quality of life in patients hospitalized with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a randomized, controlled trial.

Significant gains in health-related quality of life were seen at discharge on all of the EUROQol-5D questionnaire subscales including mobility (mean 2.00 vs. 1.29; P less than .001), self-care (mean 1.76 vs. 1.19; P = .004), usual activities (mean 2.14 vs. 1.43; P = .004), pain/discomfort (mean 1.71 vs. 1.24; P = .014), and anxiety/depression (mean 2.00 vs. 1.38; P less than .001).

Overall health, measured with the EUROQol-5D visual analog scale, also improved significantly from an average score of 57.0 to 74.4 (P = .006), Irene Torres-Sánchez, PT, reported at the world congress of the American College of Chest Physicians.

What stands out is that the average hospital length of stay was just 8.8 days.

The physical therapy protocol included 45 minutes of daily, individualized resistance training targeting the lower limbs and controlled breathing exercises including relaxation exercises, pursed lips breathing, and active expiration, explained Ms. Torres-Sánchez of University of Granada, Spain.

No significant differences were found between the 30 intervention patients and 30 controls at baseline in Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire values (63.95 vs. 63.00). Their average age was 71 years and body mass index was 27.6 kg/m².

Improvements were seen in the control group, but they were statistically significant, using a P value of less than .05, only for anxiety/depression (mean 1.96 vs. 1.46; P less than .001). Overall health did not improve significantly from baseline (55.42 vs. 58.96; P = .396), according to the poster presentation (Chest 2014;145:372A [doi:10.1378/chest.1823625]).

In two other posters reported during the same session, the investigators showed that adults hospitalized with acute COPD exacerbation walked only 255 steps per day on average (Chest 2014;145:385A [doi:10.1378/chest.1822986]).

Those who took part in the PT program, however, had improved muscle strength and steadiness and muscle endurance, although it was not uniformly significant for both legs (Chest 2014;145:369A [doi:10.1378/chest.1823630]).

The investigators reported no financial disclosures.

[email protected]

MADRID – Adding physical therapy to standard care improved self-reported quality of life in patients hospitalized with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a randomized, controlled trial.

Significant gains in health-related quality of life were seen at discharge on all of the EUROQol-5D questionnaire subscales including mobility (mean 2.00 vs. 1.29; P less than .001), self-care (mean 1.76 vs. 1.19; P = .004), usual activities (mean 2.14 vs. 1.43; P = .004), pain/discomfort (mean 1.71 vs. 1.24; P = .014), and anxiety/depression (mean 2.00 vs. 1.38; P less than .001).

Overall health, measured with the EUROQol-5D visual analog scale, also improved significantly from an average score of 57.0 to 74.4 (P = .006), Irene Torres-Sánchez, PT, reported at the world congress of the American College of Chest Physicians.

What stands out is that the average hospital length of stay was just 8.8 days.

The physical therapy protocol included 45 minutes of daily, individualized resistance training targeting the lower limbs and controlled breathing exercises including relaxation exercises, pursed lips breathing, and active expiration, explained Ms. Torres-Sánchez of University of Granada, Spain.

No significant differences were found between the 30 intervention patients and 30 controls at baseline in Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire values (63.95 vs. 63.00). Their average age was 71 years and body mass index was 27.6 kg/m².

Improvements were seen in the control group, but they were statistically significant, using a P value of less than .05, only for anxiety/depression (mean 1.96 vs. 1.46; P less than .001). Overall health did not improve significantly from baseline (55.42 vs. 58.96; P = .396), according to the poster presentation (Chest 2014;145:372A [doi:10.1378/chest.1823625]).

In two other posters reported during the same session, the investigators showed that adults hospitalized with acute COPD exacerbation walked only 255 steps per day on average (Chest 2014;145:385A [doi:10.1378/chest.1822986]).

Those who took part in the PT program, however, had improved muscle strength and steadiness and muscle endurance, although it was not uniformly significant for both legs (Chest 2014;145:369A [doi:10.1378/chest.1823630]).

The investigators reported no financial disclosures.

[email protected]