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Meta-Analysis
. 2023 Jan-Dec:17:17534666231162250.
doi: 10.1177/17534666231162250.

Effects of exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation on severe/very severe COPD: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Wenqing He  1   2   3 , Jiajia Wang  1   2   3 , Zhenzhen Feng  1   2   3 , Jiansheng Li  1   2   3 , Yang Xie  4   1   2
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Effects of exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation on severe/very severe COPD: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Wenqing He et al. Ther Adv Respir Dis. 2023 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

Objective: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has been considered to be an effective treatment method for various respiratory diseases. However, the effects of exercise-based PR on patients with severe/very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are unclear. This review aimed to investigate the effects of exercise-based PR on patients with severe/very severe COPD.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched from inception to December 23, 2022, without language restrictions. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of exercise-based PR on patients with severe/very severe COPD were included. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were conducted independently. RevMan software (version 5.3) was used for meta-analysis. The quality of evidence was rated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system.

Results: Six studies (263 patients) were identified. Compared with the control group, the 6-min walking distance [MD = 52.91, 95% CI (3.80, 102.03)], the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire total scores [MD = -7.70, 95% CI (-14.32, -1.08)] and the Borg scale scores [MD = -0.68, 95% CI (-1.28, -0.08)] in the experimental group improved, respectively. The St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire and Borg scale scores were rated as 'moderate quality' and 'low quality', respectively, and the 6-min walking distance was rated as 'very low quality'.

Conclusions: Exercise-based PR may improve the exercise capacity, quality of life and dyspnea of patients with severe/very severe COPD, which can be regarded as an adjuvant treatment. High quality and large sample RCTs are needed.

Registration: This systematic review and meta-analysis protocol was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (No. CRD42022294085).

Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; dyspnea; exercise capacity; pulmonary rehabilitation; quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Study flow diagram for this review.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
(a) Risk of bias summary. (b) Risk of bias graph. +, low risk; −, high risk; ?, uncertain risk.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Forest plot of 6MWD.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Forest plot of SGRQ scores.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Forest plot of Borg scale scores.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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