Yasemin Türk1, Astrid van Huisstede, Frits M E Franssen, Pieter S Hiemstra, Arjan Rudolphus, Cristian Taube, Gert-Jan Braunstahl. 1. Department of Pulmonology, Franciscus Gasthuis, Rotterdam, the Netherlands (Drs Türk, van Huisstede, Rudolphus, and Braunstahl); Department of Research and Education, CIRO+, Horn, the Netherlands (Dr Franssen); and Department of Pulmonology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands (Messrs Hiemstra and Taube).
Abstract
PURPOSE: To compare the effects of an outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program on exercise tolerance and asthma control in obese and nonobese patients with asthma. METHODS: Nonobese (body mass index [BMI] <30 kg/m) and obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m) patients with asthma who participated in a local multidisciplinary 12-week PR program were analyzed retrospectively. Effects of PR were assessed by changes in 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) and Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ). RESULTS: A total of 138 asthma patients were included: 53 (38.4%) obese and 85 (61.6%) nonobese. At baseline, obese patients with asthma had a lower level of exercise tolerance reflected by a lower 6MWD (525 m vs 621 m; P < .001). After PR, the 6MWD improved significantly in both groups (≥50 m in nonobese vs ≥45 m in obese; P < .001 in both groups). The improvement in 6MWD was clinically relevant in 71% of the nonobese and 60% of the obese patients. These patients had lower 6MWD (P = .024), higher usage of long-acting β-agonist (P = .034) and oral corticosteroids (P = .033). Asthma control also improved in both groups (ΔACQ -0.3 in nonobese vs ΔACQ -0.4 in obese; P = .021 and P = .019, respectively). Clinically relevant improvement was achieved by 46.5% of nonobese and 51.9% of obese patients with asthma. The improvements between the groups were not statistically different. CONCLUSIONS: A standardized PR program is feasible in obese patients with asthma and they benefit as much as nonobese patients with asthma. However, there are still a large number of patients who show no clinically significant improvement. Patients with more severe asthma seem to benefit the most from PR.
PURPOSE: To compare the effects of an outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program on exercise tolerance and asthma control in obese and nonobese patients with asthma. METHODS: Nonobese (body mass index [BMI] <30 kg/m) and obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m) patients with asthma who participated in a local multidisciplinary 12-week PR program were analyzed retrospectively. Effects of PR were assessed by changes in 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) and Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ). RESULTS: A total of 138 asthmapatients were included: 53 (38.4%) obese and 85 (61.6%) nonobese. At baseline, obesepatients with asthma had a lower level of exercise tolerance reflected by a lower 6MWD (525 m vs 621 m; P < .001). After PR, the 6MWD improved significantly in both groups (≥50 m in nonobese vs ≥45 m in obese; P < .001 in both groups). The improvement in 6MWD was clinically relevant in 71% of the nonobese and 60% of the obesepatients. These patients had lower 6MWD (P = .024), higher usage of long-acting β-agonist (P = .034) and oral corticosteroids (P = .033). Asthma control also improved in both groups (ΔACQ -0.3 in nonobese vs ΔACQ -0.4 in obese; P = .021 and P = .019, respectively). Clinically relevant improvement was achieved by 46.5% of nonobese and 51.9% of obesepatients with asthma. The improvements between the groups were not statistically different. CONCLUSIONS: A standardized PR program is feasible in obesepatients with asthma and they benefit as much as nonobese patients with asthma. However, there are still a large number of patients who show no clinically significant improvement. Patients with more severe asthma seem to benefit the most from PR.
Authors: Helen Clare Ricketts; Varun Sharma; Femke Steffensen; Anna Goodfellow; Elaine Mackay; Gordon MacDonald; Duncan S Buchan; Rekha Chaudhuri; Douglas C Cowan Journal: BMC Pulm Med Date: 2022-09-24 Impact factor: 3.320