Reports outline chronic obstructive pulmonary disease study findings from Karlstad University.

In this recent article published in the journal Clinical Rehabilitation, scientists in Karlstad, Sweden conducted a study "To test the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on fatigue, functional status and health perceptions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Randomized controlled trial."

"Pulmonary outpatient department. Thirty patients randomly assigned to a rehabilitation (3 men, 9 women, mean age 66 ( 2) years) or a control group (10 men, 4 women, mean age 64 ( 2) years). The patients in the rehabilitation group participated in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme comprising exercise training twice weekly, for a 12-week period, nutritional and self-care advice, and education about disease and energy conservation strategies. Fatigue, functional limitations due to fatigue, functional performance and satisfaction, six-minute walking distance, hand grip strength and health perception were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks. At baseline there were no significant differences between the groups, except for gender. The six-minute walking distance was 312.6 (+/- 79.3) m for the rehabilitation group and 3603 (+/- 84.7) m for the control group. After 12 weeks, the rehabilitation group improved their walking distance by 40.6 (+/- 27.2) m (P

The researchers concluded: "Although the pulmonary rehabilitation programme had an immediate effect, it was not sustained."