Pulmonary Hypertension: Efficacy of Rehabilitation Clinical Trial
Official title:
Pulmonary Hypertension: Efficacy of a 3 Week Inpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Physical Condition, Body Composition and Health Related Quality of Life - an Observational Study
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) leads to impaired physical condition (PC), body composition (BC) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). We hypothesized that a 3 week inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) improves PC, BC and HRQOL.
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) impairs physical condition (PC), body composition (BC) and
health-related quality of life (HRQOL).
Specific pharmacological treatment and - in selected patients, refractory to agents - lung
or combined heart and lung transplantation can improve physical functioning and long term
survival. Initial trials with limited numbers of patients were encouraging. Investigation of
larger cohorts is essential to assess the efficacy of rehabilitation programmes in PH.
We hypothesize that a 3 week inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) improves PC, BC and
HRQOL in patients with PH in functional classes (FC) II and III. Critical ill patients with
a functional class IV are excluded. All patients with PH undergo a 3-week inpatient
rehabilitation program (interval bicycle and strength training, physiotherapy, psychological
support, education). Exercise testing (peak work load (PWL) 6-min-walk distance), body
composition (bioimpedance analysis BIA: lean body mass (LBM), body cell mass (BCM), BCM/LBM
ratio, phase angle (PA)) and HRQOL (SF 36 questionnaire) are assessed at baseline and
completion of PR.
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Observational Model: Cohort, Time Perspective: Prospective