Early Pulmonary Rehabilitation Following Acute COPD Exacerbation

Launched by KING'S COLLEGE HOSPITAL NHS TRUST · Nov 9, 2007

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Background:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), also sometimes known as chronic asthma, bronchitis or emphysema, is an important health problem. Many people with COPD are admitted into hospital with a worsening of their symptoms, known as an exacerbation. Hospitalisations for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are a massive burden to the NHS. Over the past decade, these hospitalizations have increased by 50%, and annual hospital costs for COPD in the UK amount to more than £587 million. After being discharged, some people fail to cope very well du...

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • All patients admitted to King's College Hospital with a clinical diagnosis of acute exacerbation of COPD. Patients with radiological and microbiological evidence of pneumonia with co-existing COPD will also be included.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Significant co-morbidity that could limit exercise training \& testing: Patients unable to walk due to a comorbid neuromuscular or rheumatological condition; patients with severe sensory and cognitive impairment; patients with unstable angina or aortic valve disease in which exercise could be dangerous.
• • Attendance at a pulmonary rehabilitation programme in the preceding year.