PULMONARY REHABILITATION IN INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE: A REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE
研究评估了40名间质性肺疾病患者参加肺康复项目后的效果，发现康复能改善症状和功能状态，但对运动能力和焦虑抑郁无显著影响。
Introduction: Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are associated with dyspnea, reduced exercise tolerance, and impaired quality of life. Although pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is well established in chronic respiratory diseases, its benefits in ILD are less well defined. Materials and Methods: We evaluated 40 patients with ILD admitted to a PR program over a 20-month period. Lung function, six-minute walk test (6MWT), Borg Dyspnea Scale (BDS), symptom burden, health-related quality of life (EuroQol), functional limitation (London Chest Activity of Daily Living scale – LCADL), functional capacity (Duke Activity Status Index – DASI), and anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale – HADS) were evaluated at admission and at discharge. Paired Student’s t-tests were used (p < 0.05) Results: The mean age was 69 years, and 65% of patients were male. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis was the most prevalent ILD (35%). Ambulatory oxygen therapy was used by 65% of patients, and 33% were receiving antifibrotic treatment. Baseline pulmonary function showed a mild restrictive pattern with moderate diffusion impairment (FVC 72.0 ± 17.3%, TLC 71.8 ± 14.1%, DLCO 51.3 ± 21.2%). PR was associated with a mean increase of 25.4m in the 6MWT (95% CI: −2.3 to 53.2; p = 0.07), reaching the minimal clinically important difference but not statistical significance. No significant change was observed in post-exercise dyspnea. Symptom burden improved, with a significant reduction in mMRC dyspnea scores (−0.4 points; 95% CI: −0.73 to −0.12; p = 0.008), while CAT scores remained unchanged. Functional limitation showed a clinically relevant but not statistically significant improvement, with a 2.5-point reduction in LCADL scores (95% CI: −0.09 to 5.2; p = 0.058). Functional capacity, anxiety, and depression scores did not change significantly. Conclusions: Pulmonary rehabilitation was associated with improvements in symptoms and functional status in patients with ILD, suggesting potential symptomatic and functional benefits in this population.