Pulmonary rehabilitation improves frailty and gait speed in some ambulatory patients with chronic lung diseases

  • Neha Mittal Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock TX
  • Rishi Raj
  • Ebtesam Islam
  • Kenneth Nugent

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the effect of rehabilitation on frailty markers in patients with chronic lung diseases.
Methods: Forty-one patients started pulmonary rehabilitation, and 30 patients completed at least 6 weeks of rehabilitation. Gait speed, weight loss, exhaustion, grip strength, and physical activity were assessed at the initial visit, at 6 weeks, and at 12 weeks to determine the frailty status using Fried’s criteria.
Results: The study population (53% women) had a mean age of 67 ± 12 years, a mean BMI of 27± 9 kg/m2, and a mean FEV1 of 50% ± 17% of predicted. The average gait speed was 52.9 ± 15.4 m/min; 17% were frail, 61% pre-frail, and 22% robust. Gait speed increased from 52.9 ± 15.4 meters per minute to 61.1 ± 12.9 meters per minute after 6 weeks (P< 0.01 by paired t test). The number of frail patients decreased from 5 to 2 after 6 weeks (P=NS).
Conclusions: Gait speed increased in patients with chronic lung diseases with pulmonary rehabilitation. However, the frailty classification improved in some patients and declined in others.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Neha Mittal, Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock TX
MD, pulmonary infection, expertise- clinical projects, general pulmonary medicine
Published
2015-10-15
How to Cite
Mittal, N., Raj, R., Islam, E., & Nugent, K. (2015). Pulmonary rehabilitation improves frailty and gait speed in some ambulatory patients with chronic lung diseases. The Southwest Respiratory and Critical Care Chronicles, 3(12), 2-10. Retrieved from https://pulmonarychronicles.com/index.php/pulmonarychronicles/article/view/231