The impacts of pulmonary rehabilitation following exacerbations of COPD on hospitalizations, significant patient outcomes, and exercise ability: Systematic review

Study aim: This study aimed to determine how pulmonary rehabilitation following exacerbations of COPD affected hospitalizations and other significant patient outcomes.
Method: PRISMA criteria were followed in the conduct of this systematic review study. Randomized controlled studies that compare pulmonary rehabilitation versus conventional community care for acute exacerbations of COPD. We looked for relevant studies in the electronic databases MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane. We looked through databases to find studies conducted between 2004 and 2024.
Result and conclusion: In this systematic review analysis, four randomized controlled trials were taken into account. In one trial, participants started either inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation programs; in another, they underwent inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation starting two to eight days after being admitted to the hospital; and in a third, they underwent outpatient rehabilitation after receiving inpatient therapy for an exacerbation. Participants in two studies received very extensive pulmonary rehabilitation, while those in one study had intensive pulmonary rehabilitation. Readmissions to hospitals were reported in two studies. For these two studies, the median follow-up period was eight months. The findings of these studies showed that pulmonary rehabilitation reduced hospital readmissions.