Pulmonary rehabilitation and other interventions improve health-related quality of life and likely increase survival for selected patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Do medical management strategies, particularly pulmonary rehabilitation, improve health-related quality of life and survival in individuals with COPD?
Multiple interventions, particularly pulmonary rehabilitation, are available to improve health-related quality of life and potentially increase survival in patients with COPD.
Goals of medical management of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) should be to live better and live longer-in other words, improve health-related quality of life (HRQL) and survival. This narrative review summarizes the literature in these areas, with an emphasis on pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Treatments that increase HRQL include pharmacologic agents, exercise training, physical activity promotion, lung volume reduction, PR, self-management training, and supplemental oxygen. Additionally, anything that reduces the frequency or impact of exacerbations substantially increases HRQL. With respect to survival in COPD, the list of beneficial interventions for this outcome is considerably more limited. Supplemental oxygen therapy for hypoxemic patients, smoking cessation interventions, influenza vaccination, and lung volume reduction procedures have the strongest evidence in survival benefit. PR, especially when provided following discharge for exacerbations, may improve survival. A nihilistic view of COPD treatment is unwarranted, as multiple interventions are available that improve HRQL, and likely increase survival for selected patients.
Lareau et al. (Wed,) conducted a review in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Pulmonary rehabilitation and other interventions was evaluated on Health-related quality of life (HRQL) and survival. Pulmonary rehabilitation and other interventions improve health-related quality of life and likely increase survival for selected patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.