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 ) .
Inspiratory muscle training in pulmonary rehabilitation program in COPD patients.
Most pulmonary rehabilitation ( PR ) programs do not currently incorporate IMT in their PR programs for COPD patients . The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of adding IMT to the patients already involved in a rehabilitation program . Thirty-four patients with significant COPD were recruited for the study . All patients participated in a general exercise reconditioning ( GER ) program for 12 weeks . The patients were then r and omized to receive IMT or sham IMT , in addition to GER for the next 6 months . Following three months of GER training there was a significant increase in the 6-min walk test ( 6MWT ) ( from mean+/-SEM 254+/-38 to 322+/-42 m , p<0.01 ) , and small but non-significant decreases in the perception of dyspnea ( POD ) , and in the St. George Respiratory Question naire score ( SGRQ ) . Following the addition of IMT to the GER program there was a significant increase in the PI(max ) in the GER+IMT group ( from 66+/-4.7 to 78+/-4.5 cm H(2)O , p<0.01 ) . This was accompanied by a significant improvement in the POD and a further significant improvement in the SGRQ score . IMT provides additional benefits to patients undergoing PR program and is worthwhile even in patients who have already undergone a GER program
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 ) .