Two review authors extracted the data from the original
papers selected for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The extracted
information included: (1) the background characteristics of the
research reports; (2) the characteristics of the participants in
the study; (3) the number and distribution of participants who
dropped-out or withdrew from the study; (4) a full description
of the respiratory rehabilitation programs (setting, components
and duration); (5) the health-related quality of life measure
instruments and associated results; and (6) the exercise capacity
measure outcomes and corresponding results. We requested the
missing data from the authors of the primary study reports who
were asked to provide additional information by filling in tables
similar to the ones used by the authors during the data extraction
process.
If a study reported multiple group comparisons (for instance,
exercise therapy with inspiratory muscle training compared to exercise therapy alone and to the conventional community care),
onlyonetreatmentgroupwasconsidered(L’Abbé1987),thatisthe
treatmentgroupreceivingthe more comprehensive andsupervised
form of therapy, and this group was compared to the one receiving
conventional community care.