What does this research mean for the field?

Pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with interstitial lung disease provides symptomatic benefits, particularly in reducing dyspnea, and offers clinically relevant, though not strictly statistically significant, improvements in exercise capacity. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to evaluate the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on patients with interstitial lung disease.

April 18, 2026

Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Interstitial Lung Disease: A Real-World Experience

Puntos clave

This research aims to evaluate the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on patients with interstitial lung disease.
40 patients with interstitial lung disease were evaluated in a pulmonary rehabilitation program over 20 months.
Multiple assessments were performed, including lung function tests, six-minute walk test, and symptom evaluations.
Statistical significance was determined using paired Student’s t-tests.
Pulmonary rehabilitation was associated with a 25.4m improvement in the six-minute walk test, approaching statistical significance.
Significant reduction in mMRC dyspnea scores by 0.4 points, indicating improvement in symptom burden.
No significant changes in functional capacity, anxiety, or depression scores were observed.

Resumen

Introduction: Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are associated with dyspnea, reduced exercise tolerance, and impaired quality of life. Although pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is well established in chronic respiratory diseases, its benefits in ILD are less well defined. Materials and Methods: We evaluated 40 patients with ILD admitted to a PR program over a 20-month period. Lung function, six-minute walk test (6MWT), Borg Dyspnea Scale (BDS), symptom burden, health-related quality of life (EuroQol), functional limitation (London Chest Activity of Daily Living scale – LCADL), functional capacity (Duke Activity Status Index – DASI), and anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale – HADS) were evaluated at admission and at discharge. Paired Student’s t-tests were used (p < 0.05) Results: The mean age was 69 years, and 65% of patients were male. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis was the most prevalent ILD (35%). Ambulatory oxygen therapy was used by 65% of patients, and 33% were receiving antifibrotic treatment. Baseline pulmonary function showed a mild restrictive pattern with moderate diffusion impairment (FVC 72.0 ± 17.3%, TLC 71.8 ± 14.1%, DLCO 51.3 ± 21.2%). PR was associated with a mean increase of 25.4m in the 6MWT (95% CI: −2.3 to 53.2; p = 0.07), reaching the minimal clinically important difference but not statistical significance. No significant change was observed in post-exercise dyspnea. Symptom burden improved, with a significant reduction in mMRC dyspnea scores (−0.4 points; 95% CI: −0.73 to −0.12; p = 0.008), while CAT scores remained unchanged. Functional limitation showed a clinically relevant but not statistically significant improvement, with a 2.5-point reduction in LCADL scores (95% CI: −0.09 to 5.2; p = 0.058). Functional capacity, anxiety, and depression scores did not change significantly. Conclusions: Pulmonary rehabilitation was associated with improvements in symptoms and functional status in patients with ILD, suggesting potential symptomatic and functional benefits in this population.

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