Meta- analysis revealed few clinical ly relevant and statistically significant benefits of " add-on " therapies on exercise performance compared with exercise training .
The aim of this review was to identify the effectiveness of therapies added on to conventional exercise training to maximise exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) .
Helium-hyperoxia: a novel intervention to improve the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with COPD.
BACKGROUND Helium-hyperoxia ( HH ) reduces dyspnea and increases exercise tolerance in patients with COPD . We investigated whether breathing HH would allow patients to perform a greater intensity of exercise and improve the benefits of a pulmonary rehabilitation program . METHODS Thirty-eight nonhypoxemic patients with COPD ( FEV(1)=47 + /- 17%(pred ) ) were r and omized to rehabilitation breathing HH ( 60:40 He : O(2 ) ; n = 19 ) or air ( n = 19 ) . Patients cycled for 30 min , 3 days/week for 6 weeks breathing the assigned gas . Exercise intensity was prescribed from baseline , gas-specific , incremental exercise tests and was advanced as tolerated . The primary outcome was exercise tolerance assessed as a change in constant-load exercise time ( CLT ) following rehabilitation . Secondary outcomes were changes in exertional symptoms , health related quality of life ( as assessed by the Short-form 36 and St George respiratory question naires ) , and peak oxygen consumption during an incremental exercise test . RESULTS The HH group had a greater change in CLT following rehabilitation compared to the air group ( 9.5 + /- 9.1 vs 4.3 + /- 6.3 min , p < 0.05 ) . At an exercise isotime , dyspnea was significantly reduced in both groups , while leg discomfort only decreased in the HH group . The changes in exertional symptoms and peak oxygen consumption were not different between groups . Health-related quality of life significantly improved in both groups ; however , the change in St. George respiratory question naire total score was greater with HH ( -7.6 + /- 6.4 vs -3.6 + /- 5.6 , p < 0.05 ) . During rehabilitation , the HH group achieved a higher exercise intensity and training duration throughout the program ( p < 0.05 ) . CONCLUSIONS Breathing HH during pulmonary rehabilitation increases the intensity and duration of exercise training that can be performed and results in greater improvements in CLT for patients with COPD
Meta- analysis revealed few clinical ly relevant and statistically significant benefits of " add-on " therapies on exercise performance compared with exercise training .
The aim of this review was to identify the effectiveness of therapies added on to conventional exercise training to maximise exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) .