Pulmonary rehabilitation and physical interventions

Abstract

Pulmonary rehabilitation has established a status of evidence-based therapy for patients with symptomatic COPD in the stable phase and after acute exacerbations. Rehabilitation should have the possibility of including different disciplines and be offered in several formats and lines of healthcare. This review focusses on the cornerstone intervention, exercise training, and how training interventions can be adapted to the limitations of patients. These adaptations may lead to altered cardiovascular or muscular training effects and/or may improve movement efficiency. Optimising pharmacotherapy (not the focus of this review) and oxygen supplements, whole-body low- and high-intensity training or interval training, and resistance (or neuromuscular electrical stimulation) training are important training modalities for these patients in order to accommodate cardiovascular and ventilatory impairments. Inspiratory muscle training and whole-body vibration may also be worthwhile interventions in selected patients. Patients with stable but symptomatic COPD, those who have suffered exacerbations and patients waiting for or who have received lung volume reduction or lung transplantation are good candidates. The future surely holds promise to further personalise exercise training interventions and to tailor the format of rehabilitation to the individual patient's needs and preferences.

Association between the Static and Dynamic Lung Function and CT-Derived Thoracic Skeletal Muscle Measurements–A Retrospective Analysis of a 12-Month Observational Follow-Up Pilot Study

“…Identifying patients with a low IC/TLC ratio could be key to determining those who might benefit from a more comprehensive treatment approach, such as pulmonary rehabilitation. Pulmonary rehabilitation, with its combination of exercise training, nutritional counseling, and patient education, is well-suited to address the complex challenges presented by these patients [ 68 ]. By targeting individuals with a low IC/TLC ratio for pulmonary rehabilitation, healthcare providers can offer tailored programs that potentially improve health outcomes and quality of life for those managing COPD.…”

Heterogeneities and impact profiles of early chronic obstructive pulmonary disease status: findings from the China Pulmonary Health Study

“…Early intervene this chronic airway disease evolution is one of the main aims in early COPD research. Several studies have tried to adopt cigarette smoke cessation, 34 , 35 vaccination, 36 pulmonary rehabilitation, 37 or pharmacological therapy 38 attempting to halt the disease progression in an early stage; however, the evidence on efficacy and safety of pharmacological intervention is scarce. In addition, the target population (e.g.…”

NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis in cardiovascular diseases and exercise intervention

“…Aerobic exercise is characterized by lower intensity, safety, rhythmic, and sustained durations, with relatively minor stress on various organs, reducing the risk of exercise-related injuries (Mueller et al, 2021). Common aerobic exercise programs include low-intensity continuous training (LICT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) (Troosters et al, 2023). The intensity of exercise is typically measured using parameters such as maximum heart rate and maximum oxygen consumption (Blanks et al, 2019).…”