Benefits of Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

BACKGROUND: Information on the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is growing, but PR's effects on certain important outcomes is lacking. METHODS: We conducted a pilot study of PR in IPF and analyzed changes in functional capacity, fatigue, anxiety, depression, sleep, and health status from baseline to after completion of a standard, 6-week PR program. RESULTS: Six-min walk distance improved a mean +/- standard error 202 +/- 135 feet (P = .01) from baseline. Fatigue Severity Scale score also improved significantly, declining an average 1.5 +/- 0.5 points from baseline. There were trends toward improvement in anxiety, depression, and health status. CONCLUSIONS: PR improves functional capacity and fatigue in patients with IPF. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT00692796.)