BACKGROUND: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has been shown to be effective on exercise capacity and dyspnea in lung transplantation (LTx) candidates. In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of PR and to compare the outcomes in LTx candidates with obstructive and restrictive lung diseases.
METHODS: Between January 2013 and May 2018, medical data of 86 patients who were on the waiting list for LTx were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups based on the diagnosis as obstructive patients (Group 1) and restrictive patients (Group 2). Six-minute walking test (6MWT), the Borg scale, and the modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scores were analyzed.
RESULTS: A total of 65 patients completed the 8-week PR protocol (n = 42 in Group 1 and n = 23 in Group 2). Irrespective of the initial diagnosis, there was a significant (P < 0.05) improvement in the 6MWT distance in both groups without any statistically significant difference between the groups (Group 1, 299 m [42–548] vs. 377 m [84–561], mean increase 78 m, P < 0.001; Group 2, 337 m [70–525] vs. 396 m [139–621], mean increase 59 m, P = 0.002; Δ, P = 0.476). The effect of PR on dyspnea was significantly improved in both groups, whereas there were no differences between groups.
CONCLUSION: PR has a positive effect on exercise capacity and dyspnea in patients with both obstructive and restrictive lung diseases who are on the waiting list for LTx. Our study results suggest that PR is effective in LTx candidates, irrespective of the initial diagnosis.