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 ) .
The Effects of Controlled Breathing during Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Patients with COPD
Background : Conventional pulmonary rehabilitation programs improve exercise tolerance but have no effect on pulmonary function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) . The role of controlled breathing using respiratory biofeedback during rehabilitation of patients with COPD remains unclear . Objectives : To compare the effects of a conventional 4-week pulmonary rehabilitation program with those of rehabilitation plus controlled breathing interventions . Methods : A r and omized controlled trial was performed . Pulmonary function ( FEV1 ) , exercise capacity ( 6-min walking distance , 6MWD ) , health-related quality of life ( chronic respiratory question naire , CRQ ) and cardiac autonomic function ( rMSSD ) were evaluated . Results : Forty COPD patients ( mean ± SD age 66.1 ± 6.4 , FEV1 45.9 ± 17.4 % predicted ) were r and omized to rehabilitation ( n = 20 ) or rehabilitation plus controlled breathing ( n = 20 ) . There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding the change in FEV1 ( mean difference –0.8 % predicted , 95 % CI –4.4 to 2.9 % predicted , p = 0.33 ) , 6MWD ( mean difference 12.2 m , 95 % CI –37.4 to 12.2 m , p = 0.16 ) , CRQ ( mean difference in total score 0.2 , 95 % CI –0.1 to 0.4 , p = 0.11 ) and rMSSD ( mean difference 2.2 ms , 95 % CI –20.8 to 25.1 ms , p = 0.51 ) . Conclusions : In patients with COPD undergoing a pulmonary rehabilitation program  , controlled breathing using respiratory biofeedback has no effect on exercise capacity , pulmonary function , quality of life or cardiac autonomic function
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 ) .