Intensive versus usual rehabilitation programs in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients

Oct 19, 2026

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Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a comprehensive, nonpharmacological intervention for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but long-term adherence is hindered by comorbidities and financial costs, and the optimal duration and intensity remain controversial. This study evaluates a 3-week PR program in clinically stable COPD patients, comparing an intensive schedule with two sessions per day versus a usual schedule with one session per day. Fifty patients were randomized and key outcomes were assessed at baseline and after three weeks.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Background and rationale

Methods

Study design and participants

Intervention groups and outcome measures

Results

Improvements within groups

Comparison between groups

Conclusion

Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies 46 (2026) 109–116 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies journal [homepage:](homepage: www.elsevier.com/jbmt)[ www.elsevier.com/jbmt](homepage: www.elsevier.com/jbmt) | Intensive versus usual rehabilitation programs in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients
Hala M. Abd Elsabour Sabaha,*, Rehab M. Mohammed b, Samia Mohamed Rashada
a Physical Medicine, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt b Chest Disease Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt | | | | --- | --- | --- | | A R T I C L E I N F O | | A B S T R A C T | | Keywords:
COPD
Pulmonary rehabilitation Program
Short term PR | | Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a comprehensive, patient-customized, multifaceted, nonpharmacological, pivotal intervention designed to enhance the quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Comorbidities and financial costs pose an important hindrance to long-term adherence to PR programs, and the optimal duration and intensity of a PR program are controversial.
So, we conducted this study to assess the effect of 3-week PR program on COPD patients, and to compare the effectiveness of an intensive program with two sessions per day, to a usual program with one session per day. Methods: A prospective interventional study enrolling 50 clinically stable COPD patients randomized into two groups. A three-week PR program was designed for both groups. Group I received one session/day while Group II received two sessions/day. Oxygen saturation(SPO2) modified Medical Research Councill(mMRC) dyspnea grade, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, Barthel scale, and 6-min walking test(6MWT) were all assessed at baseline and the end of the program.
Results: Fifty COPD patients, with a mean age of 60.06 ± 6.3 years. After three weeks of PR either with one or two sessions per day, both groups showed significant improvement in the dyspnea score, CAT score, Barthel score, SPO2, and 6minute walking distance (6MWD) (p-value˂0.05). Also, on comparing the resulting parameters between the two groups showed a non-significant difference.
Conclusion: A three-week pulmonary rehabilitation with usual program is effective and comparable to an intensive program in increasing exercise capacity, improving dyspnea, and health-related quality of life in stable COPD Patients. | 1. Introduction Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a multifactorial and progressive chronic respiratory non-communicable disease characterized by permanent respiratory symptoms arising from aberrations in the airways and/or alveoli, leading toresilient and frequent progressive obstruction for airflow (Ntritsos et al 2018; Agustí et al 2024). The COPD prevalence is about 9 % in men and 6 % in women (Ntritsos et al 2018). COPD patients are usually affected by other comorbidities, increasing their risk of disability, impaired quality of life, up to mortality (Raherison et al 2018; Li et al 2020). The treatment of this disease involves a comprehensive approach, combining medication with lifestyle modification, smoking termination, and structured rehabilitation protocols (Spruit et al 2015). Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is regarded as a pillar in the treatment of COPD, yielding enhancement in exercise capacity and health-related quality of life (Rochester et al 2023). The effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programs is typically evaluated through changes in exercise capacity (such as the 6-min walk test (6MWT) or constant work rate test (CWRT)), as well as by assessing health-related quality of life using tools like the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and the Barthel score (Souto-Miranda et al 2022). However, COPD patients undergoing PR present with multiple healthcare needs according to the severity of the disease,

FAQs

What was the main aim of the 3-week pulmonary rehabilitation study?

To assess the effect of a 3-week PR program in stable COPD patients and compare an intensive program (two sessions/day) with a usual program (one session/day).

How were the COPD patients assigned to rehabilitation groups?

Fifty clinically stable COPD patients were randomized into two groups for a prospective interventional study. Group I received one session per day, and Group II received two sessions per day.

Which outcomes were evaluated at baseline and after the program?

Oxygen saturation (SPO2), modified mMRC dyspnea grade, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, Barthel scale, and the 6-minute walking test (6MWT) were measured at baseline and at the end of the program.

Oct 19, 2026

Uploaded by Elsa