Home-based Pulmonary Rehabilitation Improves Clinical Features and Systemic Inflammation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

• Grant number: 14/26545-6
• Support type: Regular Research Grants - Publications - Scientific article
• Duration: March 01, 2015 - August 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal researcher: Dirceu Costa
• Grantee: Dirceu Costa
• Home Institution: Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE). Campus Vergueiro. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory disease characterized by chronic airflow limitation that leads beyond the pulmonary changes to important systemic effects. COPD is characterized by pulmonary and systemic inflammation. However, increases in plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines are found even when the disease is stable. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) improves physical exercise capacity, quality of life and decreases dyspnea. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a Home-Based Pulmonary Rehabilitation (HBPR) program improves exercise tolerance in COPD patients, as well as health-related quality of life and systemic inflammation. This prospective study was conducted at the Laboratory of Functional Respiratory Evaluation, UNINOVE. After anamnesis, patients were subjected to evaluations of: quality of life and dyspnea, spirometry, respiratory muscle strength, upper limbs incremental test, incremental shuttle walk test and blood test for quantification of systemic inflammatory markers (interleukin (IL)-6 and IL -8). At the end of the evaluations, patients received a booklet containing the physical exercises to be performed at home, 3 times per week for 8 consecutive weeks. 25 patients were enrolled, and 14 completed the pre and post HBPR ratings. There was a significant increase in the distance traveled and the maximal inspiratory pressure, improvements on two components from the health-related quality of life questionnaire and decrease in plasma levels of IL-8 after the intervention. The HBPR is an important and viable alternative to PR for the treatment of patients with COPD, it improves exercise tolerance, inspiratory muscle strength, quality of life and systemic inflammation in COPD patients. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PEREIRA DO NASCIMENTO, ELOISA SANCHES; MALOSA SAMPAIO, LUCIANA MARIA; PEIXOTO-SOUZA, FABIANA SOBRAL; DIAS, FERNANDA DULTRA; FREITAS DANTAS GOMES, EVELIM LEAL; GREIFFO, FLAVIA REGINA; LIGEIRO DE OLIVEIRA, ANA PAULA; STIRBULOV, ROBERTO; VIEIRA, RODOLFO PAULA; COSTA, DIRCEU. Home-based pulmonary rehabilitation improves clinical features and systemic inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE, v. 10, p. 645-653, 2015. Web of Science Citations: 9.