OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of respiratory rehabilitation on respiratory function, swallowing in community-dwelling frail older patients with musculoskeletal disorders. DESIGN: Randomized open-label controlled trial. SETTING:Day-care facility in a rehabilitation hospital in Japan. SUBJECTS: A total of 63 participants with musculoskeletal disorders (intervention group: n = 31; control group: n = 32) completed the randomized controlled trial. INTERVENTIONS: All participants received 12 20-min sessions twice a week for 6 weeks of either typical rehabilitation (control) or typical rehabilitation with respiratory rehabilitation (intervention). MAIN MEASURES: Outcome measures were assessed prior to rehabilitation and after 12 sessions. The measures included: respiratory function, swallowing function, exercise tolerance, 6-min walk distance, thorax flexibility, muscle strength (grip and abdominal), activities of daily living, and quality of life. RESULTS: Participants in the intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in respiratory function (95% confidence interval (CI), 3.8-6.6; p = 0.01), swallowing function (95% CI -1.8-0.6; p = 0.01), and quality of life (SF8 Physical Summary Score) (95% CI 2.4-7.1; p = 0.01) compared with those in the control group. CONCLUSION: Addition of respiratory rehabilitation to a typical rehabilitation programme could improve not only respiratory and swallowing function, but also quality of life, in frail older patients.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of respiratory rehabilitation on respiratory function, swallowing in community-dwelling frail older patients with musculoskeletal disorders. DESIGN: Randomized open-label controlled trial. SETTING: Day-care facility in a rehabilitation hospital in Japan. SUBJECTS: A total of 63 participants with musculoskeletal disorders (intervention group: n = 31; control group: n = 32) completed the randomized controlled trial. INTERVENTIONS: All participants received 12 20-min sessions twice a week for 6 weeks of either typical rehabilitation (control) or typical rehabilitation with respiratory rehabilitation (intervention). MAIN MEASURES: Outcome measures were assessed prior to rehabilitation and after 12 sessions. The measures included: respiratory function, swallowing function, exercise tolerance, 6-min walk distance, thorax flexibility, muscle strength (grip and abdominal), activities of daily living, and quality of life. RESULTS:Participants in the intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in respiratory function (95% confidence interval (CI), 3.8-6.6; p = 0.01), swallowing function (95% CI -1.8-0.6; p = 0.01), and quality of life (SF8 Physical Summary Score) (95% CI 2.4-7.1; p = 0.01) compared with those in the control group. CONCLUSION: Addition of respiratory rehabilitation to a typical rehabilitation programme could improve not only respiratory and swallowing function, but also quality of life, in frail older patients.