PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Patrick Huppmann AU - Bernd Sczepanski AU - Martina Boensch AU - Sandra Winterkamp AU - Ursula Schönheit-Kenn AU - Claus Neurohr AU - Juergen Behr AU - Klaus Kenn TI - Effects of in-patient pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with interstitial lung disease AID - 10.1183/09031936.00081512 DP - 2012 Jan 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - erj00815-2012 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2012/10/25/09031936.00081512.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2012/10/25/09031936.00081512.full AB - Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is recommended for patients with chronic lung diseases including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) according to international guidelines. However, data for patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) are limited. We examined the effect of an in-patient PR on functional status and quality of life in ILD-patients.We evaluated 402 consecutive ILD-patients who were admitted to a specialized pulmonary rehabilitation centre (1999–2010). All patients performed a standardized PR program including pulmonary function tests, blood-gas analysis, 6-minute-walk test (6MWT), dyspnoea rating and health-related quality of life questionnaire (SF36) on admission and discharge.Mean duration of PR was 30±1 days. 6MWT-distance improved by 46±3 m (308±6 m vs. 354±6 m, p<0.001). Dyspnoea rating did not change. Lung function testing showed marginal improvement of vital capacity (+1±0%, p=0.002). SF-36-questionnaire demonstrated an increase in all eight sub-scores as well as in physical and mental health summary scores (physical: 6±1 points, p<0.001; mental-health: 10±1 points, p<0.001). Moreover, patients with signs of pulmonary hypertension also benefited from PR.In a large cohort of patients with ILD, PR had a positive impact on functional status and quality of life. Considering the limited treatment options in this patient-population PR appears to be a valuable adjunct therapy.