Following the initial evaluation, 50 subjects were randomly
allocated to either a home-based rehabilitation group
(32 subjects), with a home-based pulmonary rehabilitation
program, or a control group (18 subjects), with no intervention.
The subjects in the home-based rehabilitation
group spent a week at the rehabilitation center learning the
exercises and received printed material (educational booklet)
describing the exercises to be performed (warm-up,
aerobic activity, stretching, and relaxation), including frequency
(3 times/week) and duration of the program (24
sessions). Subjects also received a log to record their activities.
Both groups received a weekly telephone call
from a trained professional, during which the subjects were
asked about their clinical status, and those in the homebased
rehabilitation group were encouraged to adhere to
the program.
Three subjects in the control group discontinued the
study: 2 withdrew their consent, and one experienced a
severe exacerbation. In the home-based rehabilitation
group, one patient died, one withdrew his consent, and one
experienced an exacerbation requiring hospitalization.
Thus, the final control sample included 15 subjects, and
the study group included 29 subjects. All subjects in both
groups maintained their usual medications throughout the
study