Key result
Rehabilitation reduces fatigue by ~12 points in cardiopulmonary patients, driven primarily by physical activity.
Why the study?
Fatigue is a significant yet under-addressed symptom in COPD, ischemic heart disease, and heart failure that impairs quality of life, prompting an evaluation of the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions.
Do non-pharmacological rehabilitation interventions (exercise and psychosocial support) reduce fatigue in patients with COPD, ischemic heart disease, and heart failure?
Meta-Analysis
Do non-pharmacological rehabilitation interventions (exercise and psychosocial support) reduce fatigue in patients with COPD, ischemic heart disease, and heart failure?
Mean Difference: -11.93 (95% CI -15.63–-8.24)
Non-pharmacological rehabilitation interventions, particularly physical activity, significantly reduce fatigue in patients with COPD, ischemic heart disease, and heart failure.
Supports rehabilitation with physical activity to reduce fatigue in cardiopulmonary disease; confirms efficacy across COPD, IHD, and HF while questioning combined psychosocial approaches.
Background Fatigue is a significant yet under‐addressed symptom in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart diseases, impairing quality of life. This systematic review aims to investigate the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions, including exercise and psychosocial support, in managing fatigue in COPD, ischemic heart disease, and heart failure, providing evidence to guide clinical practice. Methods This systematic review is registered in PROSPERO and follows the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Results The pooled meta‐analysis with all studies had an overall mean difference of −11.93 [−15.63; −8.24]. Physical activity had the largest effect (−17.01 [−24.40; −9.61]), while combined psychosocial and physical activity interventions were insignificant. Results remained unchanged after sensitivity analysis. Conclusion Meta‐analyses highlight the effectiveness of non‐pharmacological rehabilitation interventions, particularly physical activity, in managing fatigue. Psychosocial interventions show potential but may be less effective. Future research should optimize strategies, explore fatigue mechanisms, and address patient needs to improve intervention efficacy.
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Holmgaard et al. (2026) conducted a meta-analysis in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ischemic heart disease, and heart failure. Rehabilitation interventions (including exercise/physical activity and psychosocial support) was evaluated on Fatigue (MD -11.93, 95% CI -15.63 to -8.24). Rehabilitation interventions reduced fatigue in patients with COPD and heart diseases (overall MD -11.93; 95% CI -15.63 to -8.24), with physical activity having the largest effect (MD -17.01).
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