Exercise training in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD): Can reponders be distinguished from non-responders

Abstract

Rationale: Exercise training improves exercise capacity, dyspnea and quality of life in ILD. Some patients, however, benefit less than others.

Aim: To investigate which patients do not experience significant benefits of a training program embedded in a multidisciplinary outpatient rehabilitation program.

Methods: Patients with ILD who attended pulmonary rehabilitation between 2003 and 2014 were recruited. 65 patients (54% men) were evaluated before and after 12 weeks of training.

Patients who did not complete the program or showed an improvement in 6MWD ≤30m and improved dyspnea (Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRDQdys) ≤2.5 points were defined as non-responders.

Results: Baseline characteristics are presented in Table 1.

Conclusion: Patients with ILD, not responding to exercise training are those with a poorer lung function, peak exercise performance and somewhat better preserved quadriceps force. These results suggest that exercise training is more effective when offered earlier in the disease course, particularly in patients with muscle weakness.