Abstract
Introduction
Previous studies have indicated that patients with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) have a poor prognosis and a rapid disease progression. Exercise training in pulmonary rehabilitation programs has shown positive effects in terms of exercise capacity, dyspnea and quality of life. The impact of a pulmonary rehabilitation program on survival in ILD has, however, not been explored.
Methods
60 patients were randomly assigned to receive a 6 month rehabilitation program or usual care. These data are a subanalysis of the randomized controlled trial NCT: B3220095560. The average follow-up in the training and control group were respectively 2.99±1.29 years vs 2.51±1.41 years. 3 patients in the control group were censored, when they started rehabilitation at 1.15 until 1.80 years of follow-up. Survival status was recorded over a period of 2 years for the whole group.
Results
At baseline, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in terms of age, gender, lung function parameters and functional exercise capacity. 1 year after initial assessment, the survival rate in the training group was 86% and 83% in the control group. After 2 years, survival rates decreased in both groups and accounted 76%. Figure 1 shows the Kaplan-Meier survival curve for both groups.
Conclusion
No significant differences were found in survival rates between the training group and the control group, 2 years after initial assessment.
- © 2014 ERS