During the Periexacerbation Period
Since the previous Statement, considerable evidence has been
published supporting exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation
during and immediately after hospitalization for COPD exacerbations.
Although ventilatory limitation may preclude endurance
training in this setting, resistance training of the leg
muscles during exacerbations is well tolerated and safe, can lead
to improvements in muscle strength, and may confer gains in exercise
tolerance (36). NMES is an alternative training method
that can prevent muscle function decline and hasten recovery of
mobility for hospitalized individuals, including those in critical
care settings (41, 153–155).
Pulmonary rehabilitation initiated early (e.g., within 3 wk) after
hospital discharge for a COPD exacerbation is feasible, safe,
and effective, and leads to gains in exercise tolerance, symptoms,
and quality of life (156–165), and reductions in subsequent
health care use (160, 163–165). A 2011 Cochrane review of
randomized controlled trials comparing outcomes of pulmonary
rehabilitation versus usual care after a hospitalization for a
COPD exacerbation showed at least a 42% reduction in readmissions
over 25 weeks (163). However, a trial involving 60 patients
with COPD did not show a reduction in health care use at 1 year
(166), although patients were probably not medically optimized.
Pulmonary rehabilitation started during or shortly after a hospitalization
for COPD may also favorably influence survival (163).
More data would be needed before a firm conclusion can be made.
The provision of exercise rehabilitation during periods of critical
illness prevents functional decline and hastens recovery (153,
154, 167–169). This is feasible even for individuals receiving
mechanical ventilation.